


Waysides

by bloodyfandom



Category: NCIS
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Kid Fic, M/M, Original Character(s), Romance, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-26
Updated: 2013-07-26
Packaged: 2017-12-21 09:37:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 43
Words: 76,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/898749
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodyfandom/pseuds/bloodyfandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony accidentally has a baby. Gibbs comes to the rescue.</p><p>"Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chances

**Author's Note:**

> I don't generally like kid!fic but somehow I managed to write it. Also, I’m aware how callous the descriptions of Olyvia as “crazy” come off but Tony can be kind of an immature idiot sometimes and the narrative is going to reflect that. This fic is also long. This section alone is 4,096 words. o_O Many thanks to my fantastic beta, mornincamper (on LJ)!

They had only been dating for about five months, on and off. Olyvia was a crazy ex-girlfriend in the making and Tony knew it which was why he made it perfectly clear that they were not exclusive every time he got the chance. She was great in bed, though and damn if she wasn't fun when the crazy wore off.  
  
When she shows up on his doorstep at three in the morning, soaking wet from the rain and shivering, Tony just rolls his eyes and steps aside.  
  
"I'm pregnant."  
  
At first he can only stare at her, door still hanging open, as she drips on his floor.  
  
"We used protection."  
  
"...the condom broke once. I didn't...I didn't think it would really happen," she shivers, "I mean...what are the chances?"  
  
"Pretty fucking good apparently!"  
  
Tony slams the door and stomps over to the hall closet for towels.  
  
"Tony..."  
  
"Just stay there," he barks.  
  
When he comes back she's crying and he takes a deep breath to calm himself.  
  
"I'm sorry," she sobs.  
  
"It's...it's ok. I shouldn't have yelled at you, I'm sorry. Just...here."  
  
He wraps a towel around her and tries to rub some warmth back into her thin body. He's amazed that she doesn't look pregnant at all.  
  
"Are you sure you're pregnant?" he smiles, placing a hand on her stomach.  
  
"Yes. I did the test three times today. I was throwing up."  
  
She bites her lip and looks away.  
  
"Hey..."  
  
"I can't believe I was so stupid. I...I'm not mommy material."  
  
"I'm not daddy material. We'll figure it out."  
  
She looks up at him with adoring eyes.  
  
"You...you don't want me to...?"  
  
"...get an abortion?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Tony takes a deep breath, "I uh...I'm going to support you...whatever you decide."  
  
Olyvia nods and lays her damp head on his shoulder, sniffling.  
  
"I think I'm going to keep it."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Tony frowns and puts a hand on her head, trying to seem comforting when all he really wants to do is run away.  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
He should've known then what it would be like. Olyvia on any normal day was slightly unhinged. Olyvia with raging hormones and weird cravings was a nightmare. She moves in, she takes over his life. He tries not to let it show at work but it's wearing him thin.  
  
Abby pulls him aside one day when he's feeling particularly irritable and hugs him hard.  
  
"Are you alright?"  
  
Generally he doesn't unload like this. He tells her everything and pretty much instantly regrets it because the rumor mill at work already runs on overdrive.  
  
"Tony! You're gonna be a daddy!"  
  
"Abby, please don't tell anyone."  
  
"You have to tell them eventually, Tony."  
  
"I know, I just...Olyvia isn't the kind of person you let your coworkers meet. Not unless you're _trying_ to scare them."  
  
"She can't be _that_ bad."  
  
Tony sits down hard, "She is, Abbs. I'm not exaggerating, I think she's bipolar or something."  
  
Abby frowns.  
  
"You're not happy about this at all, are you?"  
  
"I didn't really want kids. I'm sort of notoriously terrible with anyone under the age of twenty."  
  
"Oh, Tony..."  
  
"Look, it's...not so much the kid as it is Olyvia. I can't spend the rest of my life with this woman."  
  
Abby's lip curls up a little and she shrugs, "You're not married, Tony. I figure as long as you take care of the baby you don't really owe her anything. Right?"  
  
Tony nods, "I guess not."  
  
"Does she _want_ to get married?"  
  
"She's dropped the hint a few times. I've dodged it pretty well so far."  
  
"What are you going to do?" Abby asks softly.  
  
"Nothing. Not until the baby is born."  
  
He makes a face and shakes his head.  
  
"It feels so weird to talk about it. I still can't believe I'm having a kid."  
  
Abby pats his shoulder.  
  
"Better get used to the idea soon, Tony. I don't think the baby's going to wait until you're ready."  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
Tony's phone rings and he snatches it up off of his desk, eyes never leaving his computer screen.  
  
"DiNozzo."  
  
His face goes blank and McGee glances over, fingers stopping their rapid-fire tapping across his keyboard which makes Gibbs glance up to see why the hell people aren't working.  
  
"I'll be there soon," Tony says, voice dead of emotion.  
  
"You going somewhere, DiNozzo?"  
  
"The baby's coming."  
  
Tony stands up, somewhat dazed.  
  
"What baby?"  
  
For a second Tony doesn't seem to realize the question was directed at him and then he grabs his keys.  
  
"I'm having a baby."  
  
"You don't look pregnant," McGee teases with a smirk.  
  
Tony suddenly comes back into himself, looking around at his teammates with his mouth hanging open slightly. Gibbs frowns at him, brow furrowing.  
  
"What's her name?"  
  
"Olyvia. We're...uh...not together but...it was an accident and I'm..."  
  
"Doing the right thing?"  
  
Tony shrugs, "I guess."  
  
"How far apart are her contractions?"  
  
"Uh..." Tony stares blankly at Gibbs, who rolls his eyes.  
  
"I'll drive you."  
  
"Oh, Jesus."  
  
They make it to the hospital in one piece, miraculously, and Tony walks into the ER in a daze. The nurse directs them to the maternity ward without sparing them a glance and Gibbs gently guides Tony to the elevator.  
  
Olyvia is fairly calm when he gets there, giving them both a somewhat pained smile as they enter the room.  
  
"Tony! Who's this?"  
  
"Um...this is my boss, he drove me."  
  
“Gibbs. Tony's in shock," Gibbs smiles, holding out a hand.  
  
"Hi...I'm Olyvia."  
  
"Tony's mentioned you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah...just...in passing. Mostly talking about the baby," Tony lies easily.  
  
"Still hasn't told me if it's a boy or a girl yet."  
  
"Boy," Olyvia gasps, breathing through a contraction.  
  
"I'll leave you two alone..."  
  
"It's ok," Olyvia says quickly, "I need someone here to keep Tony from fainting."  
  
Gibbs looks pretty uncomfortable for a second and Tony feels bad for him.  
  
"I'll be fine, really, boss. I just...it's not every day you have a kid, right?"  
  
Olyvia's face twists in pain and she curls up, putting one hand on her large belly.  
  
Tony's eyes widen as he sees blood on the sheets.  
  
"It's coming," Olyvia squeaks, eyes wide.  
  
"Ok, ok," Tony moves to her side.  
  
Gibbs moves into the hall and calls for a doctor, but he spins back around seconds later as Olyvia screams. Tony looks like he might very well faint, but he's pulled the sheets back and with a face that's drained of blood he catches the baby as Olyvia squeezes him out. He stands there for a moment, eyes huge, as he stares at his son all covered in blood and afterbirth. The baby is a strange bluish grey color and Gibbs remembers that from when Kelly was born. Olyvia lays back, heaving breath and with baby still connected to her body.  
  
A midwife finally rushes in, out of breath from running.  
  
"Well...that was fast," she pants.  
  
"What took you so long?" Gibbs growls.  
  
"Two doctors sick with the flu and one in Europe. It's a full moon tonight. Do you know what that means? Abnormally high instance of women going into labor. I've got five other women I'm helping _right now_ , so don't give me any lip."  
  
Gibbs glares at her and she all but shoves him out of the way.  
  
"Oh, hello beautiful boy," she coos.  
  
Tony hesitantly hands the baby over to her as she looks him over, casting glances at Olyvia to make certain she's alright as well.  
  
"Wanna help mommy clean up the baby, daddy?"  
  
"Um...I uh...ok."  
  
She looks at Gibbs pointedly, "And who are you, the grandfather?"  
  
"I'm a friend."  
  
"Do you need to be here?"  
  
"Yes," Olyvia snaps.  
  
The midwife raises an eyebrow but says nothing else on the subject, instead helping them to clean up the baby.  
  
"Don't we need to cut the cord?" Tony asks nervously.  
  
"When it stops pulsing," the midwife smiles reassuringly, "Right now mommy is still providing oxygen and nutrition to baby through the cord. A nurse will be by in a minute to do the certificate, take his weight, draw blood, so on. Honey, is this your first child?"  
  
Olyvia nods as the midwife checks her pulse and looks her over.  
  
"When did you start having contractions?" the midwife asks gently.  
  
"Um...last night?"  
  
Tony's eyes go wide and Olyvia bites her lip.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up?"  
  
"You had work today - I figured it was just false labor, it didn't seem that bad until about three hours ago."  
  
The midwife sighs and pats Olyvia's hand, "You should've been here about eight hours ago, at least. But no harm done. Baby's fine, you're fine, right?"  
  
"Right," Tony sighs, obviously still upset but not wanting to push it.  
  
"Right," Olyvia says softly.  
  
The midwife shakes her head in a way that says she's thinks they're both a little stupid, "My name is Marina, if you need me just scream my name down the hallway, I'll come running."  
  
She finishes looking him over, handing him back to Olyvia.  
  
"Have you picked a name?"  
  
"Jaime Addison," Olyvia smiles.  
  
They both seem to realize at the same time that this is their _son_ they're holding and they go quiet.  
  
Tony gently touches Jaime's cheek, awe struck. He looks up at Gibbs with that look of joy mixed with fear and grins.  
  
"Look at him. He's so _tiny_."  
  
"They usually are at that age," Gibbs smiles back, voice a little thick.  
  
"Come here," Olyvia gestures.  
  
Hesitantly, Gibbs steps up to the bedside, eyes never leaving Jaime. Olyvia holds him up a little, obviously proud and happy. Gibbs touches Jaime's foot.  
  
"He's beautiful," he manages to say, "Congratulations."  
  
"Thanks, Gibbs," Tony whispers, eyes telling Gibbs that Tony means thank you for more than the well wishes.  
  
Gibbs nods.  
  
"I have to get back. I'll have someone bring your car over."  
  
With that he strides quickly out of the room, not giving them a chance to say anything more.  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
Gibbs can see the wear and tear of new parenthood on Tony over the next couple of months but there's a contentment there too, which seems to surprise Tony as much as anyone else. He brings in pictures and talks about the baby almost constantly, though oddly he doesn't mention Olyvia much.  
  
He's also unusually reticent to talk about Jaime in front of Gibbs at first, casting him worried glances every now and again when someone is fussing over a new picture or laughing about some new thing the baby did. Finally Gibbs stalks over, snatches up a picture and smiles.  
  
"Well, he's definitely yours," Gibbs smirks. Jaime looks very much like his father.  
  
Tony looks unreasonably pleased by this and blushes just a little. After that Gibbs is the first person he shows pictures, though Tony always seems a little nervous about it, whether because of Kelly or because Gibbs is notoriously grumpy about people bringing anything not work related to him while on the clock...well, Gibbs isn't sure. Either way, Tony has nothing to worry about. Gibbs thinks he'll take the crumbs he's thrown when they scatter his way.  
  
As the holiday season approaches Tony finds more and more people leaving presents for Jaime on his desk. He grins every time, turning them over in his hand and tossing thanks around. He talks a little less about Jaime now and Gibbs figures reality must have set in a little. If the circles under Tony's eyes are a little darker than before, or if he seems a little quieter in general, no one says anything.  
  
Christmas comes and goes, but the usual post-holiday joy doesn't seem to sweep Tony up in its' wake. Ziva and McGee try to pull him out of it with jokes and teasing but, even though he smiles and jokes back, they can tell his heart isn't in it.  
  
Then one morning Tony shows up with Jaime in tow, drawing strange looks and starting a wild-fire of whispers.  
  
He drops the baby bag and the car seat next to his desk, shifts Jaime onto his lap, and sets to work without a word. In a matter of minutes his desk is surrounded by half the women and a handful of the men in the room.  
  
"That's your kid, DiNozzo?"  
  
"No, Mark, I just found him on the front step this morning."  
  
Everyone shifts uncomfortably but no one leaves.  
  
"How old is he now?"  
  
"Five months."  
  
"He's beautiful," Emily grins, touching Jaime's hand. Tony wants nothing more than to slap her.  
  
"You throwing a party over there, DiNozzo?" Gibbs barks as he strides into the room.  
  
"Wasn't trying to, Boss. They invited themselves over," he snaps back with a pointed look at the people surrounding him.  
  
"Don't you people..." Gibbs’ sentence fades as Jaime comes into view.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"This isn't bring your kid to work day, DiNozzo."  
  
Tony stands up suddenly, pushing his way through the crowd and moving towards the break room. Gibbs follows without hesitation, glaring daggers as he passes the on-lookers.  
  
When he catches up he steers Tony towards a conference room and shuts the door behind them.  
  
It's the first time Gibbs has seen the baby face to face since he was born. He's gotten big and Gibbs wants to ask to hold him but he doesn't think this is a good time for it.  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"My usual sitter is in Toledo visiting family. Somebody's coming to pick Jaime up but she hit some traffic. She said she'd be here in fifteen...twenty minutes. I couldn't...I didn't know what else to do."  
  
"Where's his mother?" Gibbs grinds out.  
  
Tony's silent for a moment, looking down at his son with a frown.  
  
"DiNozzo!"  
  
"She left!" Tony shouts, startling the baby.  
  
In one swift move Gibbs takes Jaime and gently starts to walk him, stopping the tears before they can start.  
  
"Ok. What happened?"  
  
Tony shakes his head, "I don't know. Christmas morning our heater broke, so I went to get some space heaters. I come back with them and some breakfast and she's gone. Jaime's in his crib, in the fucking freezing cold house by himself and she's gone. The room is a wreck...her suitcase, the cash I kept in the Ocean's Eleven DVD, all gone!"  
  
He throws his arms wide and for a second Gibbs thinks the man might cry.  
  
"I don't know what to do," Tony says brokenly.  
  
"You're gonna take care of your kid," Gibbs smiles, reaching out to lay a hand on Tony's shoulder.  
  
Tony shrugs him off and turns away.  
  
"I..."  
  
"You've been doing a hell of a job so far, Tony."  
  
"I was just _helping_. Olyvia took care of him most of the time."  
  
"You'll be fine," Gibbs says sternly. He's never had patience for hysterics and self-pity in the past, damn if he's going to find some in him now.  
  
It brings Tony up sharp and he reaches out for Jaime, taking him back.  
  
"I'm not..." he pauses, "I'm not saying I'm going to...get rid of him or something."  
  
"I didn't think you were."  
  
Tony nods and presses an absent-minded kiss to Jaime's head.  
  
"I just don't know what to do," Tony all but whispers.  
  
Something shifts then, Gibbs can feel it. It's them. It's the space around them, the conversation.  
  
Tony really is at a loss and it's a little sad to see. For all his goofing off and pretending he's an idiot, Tony is a smart guy. He usually has no trouble figuring things out on his own with little or no help but this has him stumped. It makes Gibbs wonder about Tony's family life and not for the first time. Anybody whose parents gave even half a damn about them can at least _guess_ at what to do with their own kids.  
  
"You need to find a couple of different sitters so you always have back-up."  
  
Tony's eyes flicker up, finally settling on Gibbs' face as if he's just realized the man is in the room.  
  
"It's hard to find somebody to look after them when they're so young," Gibbs continues, "so if you need to they've got paternity leave now. If anything you could do some work from home until he's a little older."  
  
"Ok," Tony breathes, looking for all the world as if he wants nothing more than to hug the life out of Gibbs.  
  
With a soft sniffle, Jaime starts to cry. Tony shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath.  
  
"I don't want to go back out there with him. My kid's not a fucking side-show attraction."  
  
"What's he need?"  
  
"It's um..." Tony glances at the clock on the wall, "It's about time for his bottle I think. He's probably hungry."  
  
Gibbs stalks out of the conference room and over to Tony's desk, grabbing the baby bag and the carrier.  
  
"Move it, people!" he bellows at the few stupid enough to still be lingering.  
  
He comes back to Tony with a warm bottle and annoyance radiating off him in waves. Tony takes the bottle gently; like Gibbs is a rabid dog and he might bite.  
  
"Thanks, boss. I really appreciate it."  
  
That seems to soften Gibbs up a little bit so Tony throws in a smile. He props himself in one of the conference room chairs and tests the bottle before giving it to Jaime. Jaime is fussy at first, refusing the nipple, but Tony keeps cajoling him, keeps whispering things and persisting.  
  
"You're doing pretty good for somebody who doesn't know what he's doing."  
  
Tony's ears get a little pink and Gibbs tweaks one of them.  
  
"Hey," Tony protests with a grin.  
  
Gibbs smirks.  
  
"Can't smack you when you're holding the kid."  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
It's been four days since Tony's been to the office and he's going a little stir crazy. Gibbs has called him no less than twenty-two times looking for status reports and Tony's trying, he really is, but who can get anything done when the kid is screaming all day long?  
  
He answers the door with a death scowl that would send lesser men running in fear but Gibbs has the nerve to choke back a laugh, snorting a little with the effort.  
  
"I sent you all the information I found," Tony grumbles, not really caring enough to ask why Gibbs is here.  
  
"I saw. McGee has what he needs to track them down."  
  
With that, Gibbs tosses a duffel bag into the hall, takes Jaime and pushes none-too-gently past Tony into the apartment.  
  
"Come right in," Tony mutters under his breath.  
  
"Thanks," Gibbs grins dryly.  
  
Tony starts picking up scattered toys and bottles, dumping most of them right in the sink. As he makes a second sweep he gets a foot right in his left ass cheek.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
"Go take a shower, your hair is standing up on its own. And you _smell_."  
  
"Yeah. I _noticed_."  
  
Gibbs stares at him expectantly and Tony holds his hands up in surrender. He's not sure if he should be annoyed or thankful that Gibbs has managed to get Jaime settled and into bed by the time Tony comes out, clean and wearing fresh clothes. He settles on grateful.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Gibbs waves him off and moves to answer the door where, Tony realizes, someone is knocking.  
  
It's pizza, which tastes better than anything, ever (especially since everything he's eaten the last week has been from a can - occasionally he even had time to heat it up first).  
  
" _Thank you_."  
  
Gibbs shakes his head and smirks.  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
Gibbs groans, stretching and wincing. He clicks off the TV before getting up to piss and realizes he's not in his own house.  
  
DiNozzo's, he thinks, as he spies the massive wall of DVDs.  
  
Then he smells something coming from the kitchen and it actually smells...good. After relieving himself - the sink top full of product gets a suspicious glance - Gibbs finds his way into the kitchen and sits at the table. Tony's aware of him, he can tell by the way his shoulders tense up slightly, but he doesn't say anything. Gibbs can't say he blames him; it's got to be at least a little weird having your boss fall asleep on your couch after he helped you watch your kid for ten hours straight.  
  
Without fanfare or flourish Tony sets the plate in front of Gibbs, whose eyebrows shoot up.  
  
"It looks awful but just taste it," Tony pleads.  
  
Gibbs' face says that he doubts the taste can be any better than the appearance but he picks up his fork and takes a bite.  
  
"Hm."  
  
"I'll never win points for presentation but it won't make you throw up or give you food poisoning," Tony shrugs.  
  
Gibbs huffs out a breathy laugh and takes another bite.  
  
"Beats shit on a shingle any day."  
  
It's eggs and bacon (all on top of each other) and some mightily abused toast (the butter needed to soften a little more). Tony sets a cup of coffee in front of him and it's the way Gibbs likes it so he smiles which seems to fluster Tony a little, though Gibbs isn't entirely sure why.  
  
When Jaime starts to cry Tony presses a hand on Gibbs' shoulder as he passes, saying without words that Gibbs should sit and enjoy his breakfast.  
  
Of course, Gibbs is terrible at taking orders. He inhales the last bit of egg and downs his coffee in one gulp, following Tony into Jaime's room. The bed against the far wall is mussed but Gibbs doesn't comment. He just watches Tony carefully lift Jaime out of the crib and kiss his cheek.  
  
"Morning, kid."  
  
Tony seems in awe of Jaime sometimes, like he can't believe this tiny thing really exists. He changes Jaime's diaper and picks him up with the care only first time parents have, that overly aware handling as if the slightest wrong move will cause their baby to break. It's sweet and tugs at something in Gibbs' gut, a part of him he'd beaten down a long time ago.  
  
"Where'd you learn to cook?"  
  
Tony startles a little, rolling his eyes.  
  
"The maid."  
  
The look on Gibbs' face tells him he'd better elaborate, so Tony nudges past, heading for the kitchen again to warm up a bottle.  
  
"My father hired one of his escorts to be our maid. She couldn't cook, clean, or...do anything, really. But she looked hot in the uniform. She taught me how to cook and how to ride a bike and how to match my shoes to my outfit."  
  
When Gibbs doesn't say anything, Tony continues, focusing on the process of feeding Jaime as he speaks.  
  
"Latanya. She used to tuck me in every night. My dad didn't fire her, even after he got a new mistress. She kept me out of his hair and she was good eye-candy when she was pretending to clean, so he kept her around."  
  
Jaime squirms in his arms and Tony chuckles a little, shifting nervously as he tries to maintain his grip.  
  
"She was more of a mother to me than my own mom. My mom was usually passed out drunk by three pm. I still send her a card on Christmas...call her once in a while to see how she is. She invites me over sometimes but...I don't know. She's got a husband and her own kids now, you know? It would be weird,” Tony glances up at Gibbs, “don't you think?"  
  
With a sigh, Gibbs reaches out and gently swats Tony upside the head.  
  
"I think family is what you make it. If she's inviting you over I doubt it's to be polite."  
  
With a lopsided smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes, Tony nods.  
  
"Sometimes I think it's funny that my dad gets so angry that I didn't turn out the way he wanted. He let everybody else in that house take a crack at raising me but he didn't do any of it himself."  
  
He looks at Jaime with worried eyes and then glances up at Gibbs again.  
  
"I don't want to be that kind of father."  
  
Gibbs gives his shoulder a squeeze, because he doesn't know what to say and for once that seems to be ok. Tony smiles and Gibbs smiles back, tickling the kid's chin. Jaime spits up and they laugh.  
  
The whole thing smacks of domesticity and that alone is enough to bring Gibbs out of the moment.  
  
"I better get out of here."  
  
Tony looks a little bereft for a second before nodding.  
  
"OK. Thanks...you know..."  
  
"Yeah," Gibbs interrupts, "I know."


	2. Possibilities Part A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Gibbs is holding Jaime and Tony is slumped down next to them, barely paying attention to the movie he picked, even though he'd been waiting all week to see it. Eventually Gibbs feels a weight pressing against his side and realizes it's Tony, passed out and starting to snore softly. He chuckles and puts an arm around Tony's shoulders, propping him up a little better.  
  
He knows he should just slide out, cover Tony up and put the kid to bed but it feels good to be in this position again. A warm body next to him and a kid in his arms. He's _missed_ this.  
  
It ends all too soon. The movie has been over for twenty minutes and Jaime starts to sniffle in his sleep, finally waking up. He only gives a few soft cries, settling when Gibbs bounces him a little but that's all it takes to wake Tony. He groans, probably stiff from the awkward position, and freezes when he takes stock of the situation. He sits up slowly; Gibbs' hand never falling away, coming to rest at the juncture of neck and shoulder. Gibbs' thumb is right over his pulse point and Tony's heartbeat is quick though he's just risen from a sound sleep.  
  
"You needed the sleep," Gibbs says by way of explanation. As if it explains why he would just be sitting there, holding Tony for two hours. As if Gibbs doesn't have anything else to do with his time.  
  
Tony doesn't argue but he gets up to make a bottle for Jaime. Gibbs' hand trails down his arm, not because Gibbs is trying to touch but because he can't seem to _stop_ himself from touching. Tony casts him a questioning glance but still says nothing.  
  
Jaime drinks greedily and wiggles in Gibbs' arms. Tony watches them, still unnervingly quiet. When Jaime's finished, Tony takes him, burping him and putting him to bed for the night. Gibbs is still sitting there staring at the static on the TV screen when Tony returns, so he takes up his seat again, falling back to his prior scrutinization of his boss.  
  
"What?" Gibbs grumbles.  
  
It's making him nervous as hell that Tony isn't saying _anything_. The man is hard-wired to talk but right now he just keeps _staring_ and if he doesn't say something soon Gibbs is going to shake the hell out of him.  
  
It surprises him a little when Tony lies down, propping his head on Gibbs' thigh. Tony grabs the remote and restarts the DVD, skipping to where he apparently remembers leaving off. For a while Gibbs keeps his hands on the couch until it occurs to him that if Tony is using him as a pillow he probably isn't going to mind being an arm rest. Hesitantly he lays a hand on Tony's head, stroking his hair for a minute before bringing it to rest on Tony's side. It's strange how normal that feels, even stranger that Tony doesn't even react, just lies there, hand on the remote and head on Gibbs' thigh. After a while Tony shifts, lying on his back so that Gibbs' hand comes to rest on his chest and Gibbs nearly chokes when Tony takes his hand and holds it, running a thumb over Gibbs' knuckles. All the while Tony seems completely focused on the movie, outwardly indifferent to the strangeness his body is participating in.   
  
When it ends he rises without a sound and checks on Jaime.   
  
Gibbs stands with creaking knees, realizing he should probably get some sleep before Monday. He looks up when Tony comes back into the room, putting things away as he walks.  
  
"I'm gonna..." Gibbs gestures towards the door and Tony nods.  
  
'What the hell,' Gibbs thinks and pulls Tony into a hug as he passes by.  
  
He expects it to be brief like all the other hugs they've ever given each other (the number of which he can count on one hand). It seems to last for ages, though. Tony settles into it as if it's the most comfortable thing in the world. They just stand there, holding, breathing each other in until Gibbs has to pull away. The smile feels awkward on his face, it's supposed to be reassuring, though if it's him he's trying to reassure or Tony he doesn't know. But Tony smiles back and leans against the couch, gripping its' edges as if he's trying to keep himself steady.  
  
"You could uh...take my bed," he offers, "I've been sleeping in the guest bed in Jaime's room to be closer when he wakes up."  
  
Gibbs rubs the back of his neck and considers saying no. He can almost hear Abby saying 'Hinky' in the back of his brain, as if she's his conscience.  
  
"You should stay," Tony urges softly.  
  
"Ok," Gibbs acquiesces. What the hell. Why not?  
  
Tony doesn't touch him as he passes although Gibbs can feel the draw. Can almost see how Tony's hand would catch him at the waist, fingers trailing over his stomach.  
  
He turns down the bed and waves a hand at it, giving Gibbs an uncertain smile.  
  
"You gonna tuck me into bed, DiNozzo?" Gibbs smirks.  
  
Tony laughs, "I could probably use the practice. Kid doesn't always seem to think I do a good job."  
  
Gibbs sits down and wonders how much he should push his luck.  
  
"It's uh...a new bed," Tony babbles, "So no worrying about contracting anything from the masses of questionable women I've brought home in the past."  
  
"Didn't cross my mind."  
  
It seems more normal now that Tony is talking again and Gibbs wants him to keep on for a little longer. He decides that Tony looks nervous enough though so he stands up and lays a hand on his shoulder, the touch seeming almost formal after the last few hours.  
  
"G'night, Tony."  
  
"...night," Tony mutters with a sweet uncertainty.  
  
Tony shuffles out of the room and Gibbs strips down to his boxers. Tony's place is a little sloppy but not too messy. Not any worse than his house had been when Kelly had first been born.  
  
Miraculously Jaime sleeps through the night. Gibbs wakes up first, starting the coffee and making a bottle. Jaime is awake, staring up at the ceiling with a very confused look on his face that makes Gibbs chuckle.  
  
"Been a while since you woke up here, huh kid?"  
  
Gibbs hoists him up and when he turns Tony is looking up at him from the guest bed, rubbing sleep out of his eyes.  
  
"You don't have to...I got him."  
  
"You can sleep in if you want. I already made a bottle."  
  
Tony pauses half way up, looking as confused as Jaime did moments before.  
  
"Gibbs..."  
  
"DiNozzo."  
  
With a sigh Tony flops back down.  
  
"Thanks."  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
Tony gets up about three hours later to find Gibbs reading the paper and Jaime in the swinging chair, batting at the mobile overhead.  
  
"Wow. This is so domestic."  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow and sips at his coffee.  
  
"Oh, come on, boss. You've done the domestic thing. You're an old pro," Tony teases, pouring himself a cup of coffee.  
  
Without a word, Gibbs rolls up his newspaper and whacks Tony with it, barely containing a grin as Tony sputters indignantly.  
  
"Hey! That's abuse!"  
  
"I could make it abuse," Gibbs smirks.  
  
Tony glares at him, moving over to say good morning to Jaime.  
  
"Hey kid. That interesting?"  
  
Jaime burbles at him, blowing bubbles and kicking his feet.  
  
"Wow, really? Cool."  
  
"Why do you talk to him like that?" Gibbs asks with a raised brow.  
  
"Hold on a second," Tony holds up a finger and Jaime claps, screeching.  
  
Tony walks over and leans forward on the table, palms flat.  
  
"I'm establishing a line of communication. If I don't start listening to him now he might turn out like _me_."  
  
Jaime adds a few more high pitched shrieks to show his agreement and Gibbs covers a smile with his hand but Tony catches it, grinning back.  
  
"Besides I'm not for that baby talk stuff, you know? Not that you have to talk to them like they're little grown-ups but...he's in there, thinking, right? He just can't say what he wants with words yet."  
  
This makes Gibbs smirk.  
  
"Can't really picture you doing baby talk."  
  
Tony rolls his eyes, "I can't picture me with a baby to do baby talk to, but hey..."  
  
At this he turns and spreads his arms wide.  
  
"Jaime, my favorite son!"  
  
"He's your only son."  
  
"Come on, Gibbs, you wanna deflate the kid's ego before he even has one?"  
  
Gibbs only grins in response and Tony plucks Jaime out of the swinging chair, swinging him up into the air before pulling him close to check his diaper.  
  
"Right on schedule."  
  
Jaime smacks a small palm to Tony's face and laughs.  
  
"Insult to injury, huh?"  
  
Tony's phone rings and Gibbs picks it up, following after Tony.  
  
"Hello?"  
  


_"Hello? Who is this?"_

  
  
"I'm a friend of Tony's, he's changing the baby right now."  
  


_"Oh. This is his cousin, Rose. What's your name?"_

  
  
"Jethro Gibbs."  
  


_"Oh...um...ok. Aren't you his boss?"_

  
  
"That too."  
  


_"Oh. Ok. I uh...could you ask him if he's still watching the brats for me tomorrow?"_

  
  
"Sure..." Gibbs sidles into the room, trying not to laugh at the baby powder that Jaime obviously got a hold of.  
  
"Not a word," Tony grouses.  
  
"Rose wants to know if you're watching the brats tomorrow."  
  
Tony, covered in baby powder, glances at his phone in Gibbs' hand.  
  
"Yes," he grimaces.  
  
"He says yes," Gibbs says into the phone, trying not to smirk too hard.  
  


_"Oh. Good. Can I um...actually **talk** to Tony?"_

  
  
Gibbs holds the phone to Tony's ear, smiling all the while. The way the woman talks it sounds like she thinks he's got Tony hostage.  
  
"Rose?...What?...I uh...yeah, actually. I do hang out with my boss outside of work....He said that?....I guess. Look, make sure Tammy has her damn bear this time, alright? I mean it. She's six and she cried more than Jaime and at least he has _reasons_ to cry....don't get mad at me because you made her dependent on an inanimate object....you know I love the kids, Rose....I love it when they come over....What are we going to be doing?....I don't know, I thought we'd go to the planetarium....because Ricky wanted to, that's why! He loves astronomy, he practically dismantled my bookshelf trying to get at my copy of 2001....Of course I didn't let him watch it! I downloaded a couple episodes of that show....Yeah, the we're all made of stardust guy. He loved it....Your kid isn't weird, he's just kind of a geek....look, I gotta go. Tomorrow, see ya then."  
  
With that he pulls away and shakes his head. Gibbs hears a "hello?" and puts the phone back to his own ear.  
  
"Hello?"  
  


_"If you're like...gay for my cousin or something you'd better be good to him because I swear to  
God, NCIS or not, I know people who can kill you and make it look like an accident."_

  
  
"Um..."  
  


_"And I don't care about the gay part or anything because Tony is uh...he just needs somebody who can treat him right, you know? So um...you know. And thanks for helping him take care of Jaime. If I ever find that bitch she's gonna wish she'd never been born. But um...oh, crap. Anyway, I never said that and you never heard it. If you're there tomorrow you better not scare my kids, either. Do you understand?"_

  
  
Gibbs chuckles, grinning a little as he turns back towards Tony, "Yes, ma'am."  
  
Tony raises an eyebrow as he finishes up Jaime's diaper.  
  


_"Ok, so...um...you know. Bye. Thanks again, you know. For keeping an eye on my guys."_

  
  
"You're welcome. Bye-bye."  
  
As he ends the call Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
"What was that about?"  
  
"I don't know if you'd believe me..."  
  
Tony rolls his eyes, "She threatened your life?"  
  
Gibbs huffs out a short laugh and stares down at the phone.  
  
"Been a while since a woman threatened my life and I took her seriously."  
  
With an apologetic smile, Tony takes the phone from him.  
  
"You actually probably _should_. She's a sweetheart but her dad raised her kind of old school. Something my father couldn't really instill in me, thankfully. She usually only threatens..."  
  
Jaime flails and Tony flinches as a small fist comes within inches of his eye.  
  
"Woah, buddy! Not the face!"  
  
Gibbs grabs Jaime up and shakes his head.  
  
"How many kids does she have?"  
  
"...five? She's working on number six which is why I'm watching them tomorrow. She's having her baby shower."  
  
The look of surprise on Gibbs' face is fairly priceless and Tony wishes he had a camera.  
  
"That...she sounded kind of... _tiny_."  
  
"She's about four inches taller than Danny DeVito and, when she's not pregnant, I can pick her up over my head with one arm. Tiny is a good word for her."  
  
"Jesus Christ, Tony, _five kids_?"  
  
"Soon to be six. She wants eight."  
  
"Two, three - maybe. Five?" Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
"Tell me about it. I owe her though. I'm...going to owe her until I die."  
  
Gibbs glances at Jaime.  
  
"She's your sitter?"  
  
Tony gives Gibbs a lopsided grin, "Yeah. On-Call, 24-7. She drives kind of like you when the kids aren't in the car. She can be here in ten minutes, traffic or not."  
  
He heaves another sigh and looks around the room.  
  
"Well...might as well enjoy the rest of the day. How about it, kid? Wanna go down to the park?"  
  
Jaime spits up on Gibbs and smiles. Tony can't help but laugh.  
  
At the park they mostly push Jaime around in the stroller because the swings have been taken down for maintenance and those are really the only thing on a playground a ten month old can play on. One woman stops dead in the middle of her jog to coo over Jaime who's looking pretty damn adorable, if Tony says so himself - and he does.  
  
"He is so precious, just look at those eyes! You're going to be handsome just like your daddies aren't you?"  
  
Gibbs coughs a little, looking away, but Tony loops an arm through Gibbs' and gives her a brilliant smile, turning the DiNozzo charm on full blast.  
  
"How old?"  
  
"He'll be a year in August."  
  
"Mine is turning twelve," her eyes go wide but her grin is even wider, "They are such a blessing; I don't know what I'd do without my little girl."  
  
Tony looks down at Jaime, his mouth quirking up into a lopsided smile that's soft and just a little grateful.  
  
"Yeah. They're something else."  
  
"They really are," Gibbs all but whispers.  
  
She sighs and starts jogging in place.  
  
"Well, you guys have a nice day!"  
  
With that she waves and trots off.  
  
Tony releases Gibbs and Gibbs pulls back far enough to thwap Tony on the back of the head. Tony only grins before pushing the stroller down the path again.  
  
They end up sitting by the river, Jaime passed out on Tony and Gibbs sitting with his arm over the back of the bench. Tony thinks they probably look like a family still, especially since every time he catches Gibbs looking at them the man looks downright protective.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?"  
  
Gibbs peers at him from the corner of his eye, seeming to gauge something.  
  
"Shoot."  
  
"...you know, I don't want to ask a question, I just want to say something."  
  
This makes Gibbs chuckle a little.  
  
"Permission to speak freely granted."  
  
Tony snorts and shifts Jaime to the other arm.  
  
"That's the first time I've ever done that."  
  
There were so many potential firsts that Gibbs couldn't even start to guess which one Tony meant. For a second Gibbs wants to ask him to elaborate but Tony doesn't give him the chance to voice the question.   
  
"I've had a lot of...um...you know...and we've never actually just...sat and...I've never just sat with anybody. I've never been comfortable enough with somebody to... _not_ talk."  
  
If that isn't enough to make Gibbs sit up and take notice then he's the dumbest son-of-a-bitch ever born. Carefully, he lets his arm make contact with Tony's shoulders. He's not really holding him. They're just barely touching but it seems like it's enough to ground Tony, to make saying what has to be said easier.  
  
"I just uh...wanted to say it's been nice having you around these last few months. Didn't think I'd want to see so much of you outside of work."  
  
The last bit he says teasingly with a sly grin but Gibbs doesn't really react. He leans in a little closer and Tony falls silent again.  
  
The leaves rustle overhead and Jaime shifts, sleepily opening his eyes to watch the sunlight filtering through before falling back asleep. Gibbs smoothes his hair, all tousled from the wind, and glances up to catch Tony smiling. So he smiles back.  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
Tony frowns at the contents of the fridge, picking up a bottle of milk and sniffing cautiously at the contents. He grimaces and tosses it in the garbage, grabbing his keys and wallet as he heads into the living room.  
  
"We're out of...everything," Tony shrugs, "I'm going to the store."  
  
Gibbs blows another raspberry on Jaime's tummy, making the baby shriek with laughter.  
  
"Ok," he says, not even glancing at Tony.  
  
Tony shakes his head and grins, "Good to know I'll be missed."  
  
He hates shopping on the weekend but he can't very well pull his old midnight shopping trips on Wednesdays anymore. Tony trudges into the store and tries not to look like a grumpy old man, even though he feels like one.  
  
What's possibly worse is trudging upstairs with more groceries than he ever would have bought for himself a year ago. Tony had lived off of take-away, fast food and microwave meals. Now he had to try and get food the kid would like. Mashed bananas were popular right now, as was apple sauce. Neither of which Tony had ever bought willingly previously.  
  
Somehow his life has become ‘Three Men and a Baby’, minus one man (he likes McGee, he really does, he just doesn’t need him underfoot) and he has somehow ended up playing Ted Danson. Tony pulls a face and shakes his head. Well, a hotter version of Ted Danson anyway.  
  
He sets everything down by the inside of the door and sighs loudly, rolling his eyes when he spots Gibbs passed out on the couch.  
  
Then he takes a second glance around the room for Jaime. He's not in sight but it's about time for his nap, so Tony shuffles into his room, picking up scattered toys as he goes.  
  
"You asleep, kid?"  
  
But Jaime isn't in the crib either. Tony frowns, gears grinding as he stares at the mussed crib sheets.  
  
"Jaime?"  
  
Next is own bedroom, as well as both bathrooms and the closet, followed by a panicked glance around the kitchen.  
  
He shakes Gibbs awake.  
  
"Gibbs...Gibbs! Where's Jaime?"  
  
Gibbs startles, a flailing arm nearly knocking Tony on his ass.  
  
"What?" he grumbles, voice still heavy with sleep.  
  
"JAIME," Tony enunciates, "Where the hell is he?"  
  
That's all it takes to have Gibbs wide awake and on his feet, he shoots off towards Jaime's room and Tony follows hot on his heels.  
  
"I looked everywhere already, where was he..."  
  
A sharp bang from the kitchen makes them both jump and look towards the sound. Tony is in action first, surprisingly, Gibbs stumbling after him seconds later.


	3. Possibilities Part B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

There, behind a cabinet door Tony hadn't noticed was open, is Jaime, banging pots and pans together. When he sees them he starts shrieking, short and punctuated.  
  
  
  
"He...he must've crawled out of the crib..." Gibbs breathes, sounding a million miles away.  
  
He stares at Jaime for a moment and then turns on his heel, stalking away.  
  
"Gibbs...you stay right there, mister," Tony says sternly, pointing a threatening finger at his son.  
  
Jaime shrieks in response and Tony rolls his eyes again.  
  
"We're gonna need to work on that."  
  
Gibbs is nearly to the door, jacket in hand and shoes on his feet. Tony reaches out, laying a hand on Gibbs' arm.  
  
"Hey...hey, come on."  
  
Gibbs tries to throw him off but Tony pushes him against the door.  
  
"DiNozzo..."  
  
"Don't try to pull that _I'm the boss_ crap. He's fine."  
  
"I..."  
  
"You fell asleep, Gibbs. You put him down for his nap and you fell asleep. You didn't leave him on the stairs, or forget him at the grocery store, or hand him to a stranger and walk away. Nothing bad happened. And now I know I need child locks for the cabinets."  
  
Gibbs brings one shaking hand to his face, scrubbing at it as he sighs through his nose, not quite able to look Tony in the eye.  
  
"He could've..."  
  
"But he didn't. Anyway, he's...he's my kid, Gibbs."  
  
"You think that makes it alright?" Gibbs snaps, not sounding so much scary as scared.  
  
"No but...I'm responsible for him. You...you've been great, helping me out and everything but you're not..."  
  
Somehow this seems to make Gibbs feel worse and Tony can't imagine how hard it would be to lose two kids in a lifetime, even if one wasn't yours and the other one was taken from you against your will. He's never seen the man look so close to breaking before and Tony shakes him a little.  
  
"...Jethro."  
  
That catches the other man's attention and Tony blinks, swallowing against the sudden dryness in his throat as Gibbs stares at him.  
  
"It's ok," Tony says gently.  
  
Gibbs sags a little and Tony hugs him, holding on for all he's worth because he can't let Gibbs break.  
  
"It's ok," Tony says again, as Gibbs presses his face into Tony's shoulder.  
  
Jaime starts banging again and Tony huffs out a laugh but Gibbs moves past him back into the kitchen. When Tony comes in Gibbs is holding Jaime with a painful look on his face. He looks on the verge of tears and Tony can only stand there watching, distantly aware that his boss shouldn't care about his son as much as he does. But what shakes him is that he's glad Gibbs cares and that he doesn't want him to ever cross back over that divide that kept Gibbs separate from everyone else for so long.  
  
Quietly he catches Gibbs' eye, trying to convey that this is alright. Gibbs nods and Jaime, surprisingly, is very still in his arms.  
  
It's the first time that Tony suspects that they may have gotten in a little deeper than they meant to.  
  
The second time is on a stormy night when Jaime can't sleep because the thunder and lightening startle him, making him look around wide eyed and slack-jawed. Gibbs is over because Tony drove him to work that morning and neither of them questioned when Tony automatically drove them back to his apartment. Gibbs is being absolutely ridiculous with Jaime, making faces and noises that have Tony in stitches on the couch when he isn't trying to make similarly ridiculous faces and noises. Jaime is mostly distracted by the great show they're putting on, occasionally glancing around when there's another lightening strike.  
  
"Ok, where's my camera?" Tony laughs, "I need proof."  
  
Gibbs grins and tackles Tony as he tries to get up, "Not a chance in hell, DiNozzo."  
  
Tony struggles and yelps as Gibbs' hand grazes his side.  
  
The look on Gibbs' face at that moment Tony will later come to call his Evil Face. Tony learns to become wary of the Evil Face because it means that Gibbs is feeling his oats and while some people call it _mischief_ or _fun_ , Tony knows better. It's evil, pure and simple.  
  
It's at that moment that Gibbs starts to _tickle_ Tony. For a moment Tony is too shocked to struggle, he gives a sharp, surprised laugh loud enough to fill the whole apartment and then Gibbs _really_ lays into him and Tony is breathless, red in the face, as Jaime squeals and claps his hands at the show.  
  
"Wait," Tony wheezes, "Time...time out!"  
  
He pushes and manages to get to his knees, grabbing at Gibbs' hands. Gibbs pulls hard and somehow Tony ends up in his lap, their faces inches apart. Gibbs is the first to stop laughing, Tony's breath still hitting his cheek in heaving gasps as he struggles to calm down. Then Tony looks up and realizes exactly where he is and exactly how close they are, that he's holding Gibbs' hands, one against the back of the couch and the other against his own thigh.  
  
Their eyes lock and they're leaning forward, lips nearly touching when another rumble of thunder has Jaime whimpering. Tony's eyes are immediately on him, as he gingerly climbs off of Gibbs and the couch.  
  
"Hey, kid. It's ok, come here."  
  
Tony lifts him up off the floor and swings him in the air, before holding him close. He glances at Gibbs who's still watching him with a look that's torn between confusion and something Tony's too afraid to name. He sits close on the couch, plopping Jaime between them. It's tense for the rest of the night; they finally manage to get Jaime to go to sleep, settled between them. The second one of them moves he wakes up and starts crying.  
  
With resignation they settle in, trying not to touch even though they want to.  
  
  
X X X  
  
  
Jaime reaches up to Gibbs with grubby fingers.  
  
"Pa!"  
  
For a moment Gibbs looks torn and hurt. All he can do is stare.  
  
"Pa!" Jaime insists, making grabbing motions and bouncing.  
  
Tony nudges him, "He's talking to you."  
  
Gibbs stumbles forward, shooting Tony a look that was probably meant to be annoyed but comes off more as pained. He picks Jaime up and Abby grabs Tony's arm.  
  
"Tony!" she whispers.  
  
He looks down at her with confusion, understanding that something is _Hinky_ but not entirely seeing what, until he remembers that no one else has been privy to the goings-on at his apartment for the last several months. Of course it would seem strange, maybe even mean, for Tony to say something like that to Gibbs without understanding that his boss had become almost as much a parent to Jaime as Tony is.  
  
"It's fine, Abbs. I promise."  
  
Gibbs wrinkles his nose and jerks his head at Jaime's room, Tony nods and Abby pounces on him as soon as Gibbs is out of earshot.  
  
"Oh. My. God. Tony! You guys are...you're..."  
  
"We're what?"  
  
" _Together_."  
  
Tony blinks at her, "We are?"  
  
"Tony...what planet are you living on? Gibbs is totally smitten with you."  
  
His mouth works for a moment, no sound coming out as he looks from Abby to the general direction of Jaime's room.  
  
"He totally is," Abby confirms.  
  
For a second it seems unfathomable but then Tony remembers, oh, the last couple of months and he has to shrug.  
  
"Tell me you're smitten too," Abby pleads, eyes seeming too huge for her face.  
  
"I...what?"  
  
" _Tony_ ," she hisses, "You can't break his heart."  
  
"Oh, _my God_ , Abby."  
  
"I'm serious, Tony. I've never seen him like that before."  
  
"This is _Gibbs_ we're talking about, I don't think he'd _let me_ break his heart and anyway we're not...you know."  
  
Abby's mouth drops open, "You haven't...done anything?"  
  
"The only time he's been in my bed is when I wasn't."  
  
"Not even a kiss? _Close_ to a kiss?" she prods him with a lascivious grin, "Come on, he's hot, I'd kiss him."  
  
"Abby, cut it out!"  
  
Her grin widens, "You've wanted to. You totally should! Trust me, Tony."  
  
Gibbs walks back in and gives them both a suspicious glare.  
  
"I wouldn't trust that smile if I were you, DiNozzo."  
  
"Believe me, I wasn't planning to."  
  
"Gibbs! I am totally trustworthy."  
  
"Until you smile like that," he shoots back, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Abby props her hands on her hips and glares at him.  
  
"Well, fine. I won't tell you what we were talking about then. You might not believe me."  
  
Gibbs shrugs, "Tony'll tell me later."  
  
Abby's jaw drops just a little slower than Tony's does.  
  
"Like hell I will!"  
  
Gibbs looks up at that, obviously surprised. Jaime burbles something and tugs at Gibbs' collar, bored with all this talking.  
  
"Look, Gibbs..." Tony flounders, nudging Abby roughly, "She had some crazy idea and I'm not going to justify it by repeating it. If she wants to tell you, that's _her_ business. I don't want any part of it."  
  
Abby crosses her arms, staring at Tony with a disbelieving shake of her head.  
  
"You two are in love," she says bluntly.  
  
He would've sworn up and down on a stack of any number of holy books that it was not possible for Gibbs to look absolutely floored (not surprised, not stunned, not shocked. _Floored_.). The man looks like he might not recover. After the blood briefly drains from his face, he then promptly turns red, unable to speak or move apparently because he just stands there holding Jaime.   
  
"Oh my God! Gibbs!" Abby rushes over and takes Jaime, giving him a big kiss and handing him to Tony, who looks slightly less stunned and far more horrified, before hugging Gibbs tightly.  
  
"I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have said it like that, that was awful of me!"  
  
He puts a hand on her back and Tony realizes Gibbs is staring at _him_. That the terrible look on Gibbs face might be fear and Tony's really not sure what to do about that.  
  
When nobody says anything Abby pulls away, looking back and forth between them.  
  
"I suck," she mutters pathetically.  
  
Tony has to laugh. He has to laugh because if he doesn't laugh he's going to explode.  
  
"You don't suck, Abby," he chastises.  
  
He jiggles Jaime and smiles, keeping it easy, keeping it smooth. Nothing world shattering just happened.  
  
"I uh...I better take Abby home," Gibbs says.  
  
"Ok."  
  
Tony puts a hand on the small of Gibbs' back as he's walking out the door, keeping his face calm when Gibbs looks up at him.  
  
Gibbs doesn't come back over that night.  
  
He doesn't come back for the rest of the week, in fact. He casually asks about Jaime at work, otherwise being utterly professional. Abby notices the difference and looks completely miserable but Tony assures her everything is fine.  
  
Jaime gets grumpier by the day and though Tony makes all the same silly faces, plays all the same games, keeps everything perfectly routine, it keeps getting worse.  
  
It's pretty easy to see he misses Gibbs.  
  
And so does Tony.


	4. Blessings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

"See ya tomorrow, boss."  
  
It's the tone of Tony's voice that makes Gibbs glance up from his work, though Tony's already turned away, the slump of his shoulders making Gibbs frown. He watches him until he rounds the corner and then scowls at empty space.  
  
He should go over and check up on them. He knows he should. Should've gone back three weeks ago, the night after Abby tried to play matchmaker. From the snatches of conversation he's heard between Tony and Abby, Jaime has been getting progressively harder for Tony to handle.  
  
 _"It's like he's looking for him," Tony had said, "He keeps saying Pa like he's asking for Gibbs and I don't know what to do about it."_  
  
That thought, that memory, puts Gibbs on his feet moving out the door. He gets stuck in traffic, cursing at the accident that's blocked up three lanes of highway. He doesn't need time to think, to doubt himself.  
  
When Gibbs comes in - no need to knock, he still has a key - Tony is standing in the living room, squeezing the life out of a pack of diapers. Jaime is screaming in the other room and Gibbs none-too-gently pushes Tony in that direction.  
  
"What the hell is your problem?" Tony yells, whirling around.  
  
"Your kid needs you."  
  
"I...don't you think I know that?!"  
  
The tone of Tony's voice is slightly hysterical and Gibbs reaches out to take the diapers from him before they're unusable but Tony pulls away. Gibbs frowns and shuffles off into Jaime's room, picking him up and shushing him as best he can. The kid's been inconsolable for weeks now, screaming almost the second he’s set down and Gibbs can understand why Tony's at his wit’s end. The guilt gnaws at him a little bit.  
  
"Tony..."  
  
"This isn't what I wanted..."  
  
"Well, it's what happened! Kids are a goddamned blessing, DiNozzo..."  
  
"I know! This isn't what I wanted for _my kid_ , Gibbs, Jesus! You're supposed to plan for this shit, you're supposed to be...mentally ready for it or...I don't know what I'm doing!"  
  
"No one does!"  
  
With a frustrated growl Tony tosses the diapers at the far wall and stalks off towards Jaime's room. Gibbs hears the distinct thuds of a wall being punched several times. When he comes back out he doesn't look any calmer but his knuckles are only red and not split or bleeding. He walks right up to Gibbs, takes Jaime and then opens the front door.  
  
"I need you to leave."  
  
Gibbs can only stare at him for a moment, trying to figure out how it came to this. He doesn't argue. He doesn't try to reason with Tony. He just puts one foot in front of the other until he's walking into his own home, really not remembering the drive there.  
  
It wasn't supposed to become what it had. He'd only meant to stick around enough to help out, though a nagging voice in the back of his head says that what he really wanted was to be a daddy again. He misses that, he knows it. Then somewhere along the way his feelings for Tony had changed too. It was easy to get attached to Jaime, the way it was easy to get attached to any baby. Tony wasn't a baby, wasn't even a kid. He was a federal agent who had killed people, who had nearly been killed several times. He was an immature asshole sometimes but there was something about Tony in his off hours, in the way he was with that kid and was so damn careful that changed something fundamental about the way Gibbs saw Tony. The way he felt about him.  
  
And it was stupid because he couldn't afford to have those feelings, to get involved this way. Not with Tony, not with anybody because it never worked out.  
  
Tony comes into work the next day with dark circles under his eyes. He doesn't acknowledge Gibbs, doesn't say anything to anyone. He sits down and gets to work with quiet efficiency.  
  
Gibbs is almost relieved when Abby calls him with some results.  
  
"DiNozzo," Gibbs barks, jerking his head towards the elevator.  
  
Tony doesn't look at him, doesn't affirm that he heard him. He taps a few keys and stands, moving off without a sound.  
  
He doesn't apologize often and for that reason alone Gibbs has trouble finding the right words to say.  
  
"I shouldn't have...pushed you like that."  
  
Tony stares at him for a moment, anger and uncertainty flickering in his eyes.  
  
"That's not what you should be apologizing for."   
  
"I don't mean...damn it. I mean you didn't need me bullying you. And I am...sorry that is."  
  
Tony strides out of the elevator without a word and Abby stops mid-bounce when she sees him.  
  
"Tony, are you ok?"  
  
"Fine. What have you got?"  
  
"Um...a match on the prints and some results on the fibers you found, are you sure you're alright?"  
  
"Nothing a little sleep won't fix, Abby," Gibbs intervenes, "Fibers?"  
  
"Oh...Jaime kept you up, huh? Well, the fibers were silk. Purple silk, dyed with a special organic dye. It took me a while but I narrowed it down to a couple of high end Eco Fashion stores and got you..."  
  
She hands Gibbs a sheet of paper with a flourish.  
  
"A receipt?" Gibbs asks, squinting.  
  
"Check the name."  
  
Gibbs hands the receipt to Tony.  
  
"Katherine Anders."  
  
"McGee actually got the receipt but it's her Gibbs! She's the one that built that bomb!"  
  
Gibbs frowns, "Why didn't we get a fingerprint match?"  
  
"She's a civilian, no criminal record."  
  
"So who are the prints a match to?" Tony asks distractedly, flipping through some of the results.  
  
"Get this...Miranda Anders."  
  
"...who?"   
  
Abby can't help but bounce a little.  
  
"Katherine's _sister_ who does have a criminal record. Forgery, aggravated assault and battery, assault with a deadly weapon...the list goes on. She's not a nice person, Gibbs."  
  
"Good job, Abby," Gibbs nods.  
  
Abby seems conflicted for a second.  
  
"Tony! Do you think you could help me with something?"  
  
For a minute Gibbs thinks he's going to say no but then Tony turns and gives Abby a tired smile.  
  
"Sure thing, Abbs. What's up?"  
  
She pulls Tony into her office and Gibbs takes his cue to leave.  
  
When Tony comes back up to the Bullpen he seems in better spirits. He drops a folder on Gibbs desk and very quietly says, "We need to talk later."  
  
Gibbs looks up and nods, taking the folder and flipping through the contents. Abby's results. McGee is already busy looking up Katherine Anders so Tony takes Miranda and Gibbs remembers he's got a job to do.  
  
It's been a while since he had a reason to forget that.


	5. What Will You Promise?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony is in the parking garage, leaning against his car expectantly, as if Gibbs was keeping him waiting. They're silent on the ride to Tony's apartment and silent all the way upstairs and silent as Tony lets them in.  
  
  
  
Tony moves off to change and Gibbs toes off his shoes and hangs up his jacket. The apartment is quiet until Rose knocks on the door moments later, glaring at Gibbs and nearly knocking him over as she shoves her way inside to put a still sleeping Jaime down in his crib.  
  
"Night Tony! See you tomorrow!"  
  
"Night Rose, thanks!"  
  
She backs Gibbs up against the wall and bites her lip, obviously trying to restrain herself.  
  
"You had better make this right," she says darkly and walks out.  
  
He shakes his head and moves off to find Tony. He feels a chill and glances into Tony's bedroom, seeing the curtains moving in the breeze. Tony is sitting alone on the balcony, shoulders hunched and looking just a little desperate.  
  
Gibbs sits down next to him, looking out over the city.  
  
"Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."  
  
The breeze picks up, sending cool air washing over them, making them shiver against the promise of autumn. Tony nods and rises as he hears Jaime start to fuss in the other room, leaving Gibbs to brave the cold alone. For a moment he wonders if this is how it's going to be. Four wives and a handful of relationships later, the pattern has become obvious - hasn't it?   
  
A warm hand on his shoulder snaps him out of his brooding and he looks up at Tony, with Jaime tucked against his chest.  
  
"You coming inside?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Tony leans against the counter, Jaime propped on his hip.  
  
"You've been trying awfully hard to be Uncle Jethro."  
  
"I..."  
  
"Just shut up for once and let me finish?"  
  
Gibbs nods, tucking his hands in his pockets.  
  
"But what I think you really want is to be Daddy Jethro."  
  
With a slight wince, Gibbs looks away. He can't deny it anyway. Not even if he tried.  
  
"The thing is, _Jethro_ ," and that snaps his gaze right back up, "the way things are going the best you're gonna get is Uncle..."  
  
Gibbs nods, gaze falling away again.  
  
"I'll uh..." he begins, fully prepared to get the fuck out of Tony's life, when suddenly Tony is in his space.  
  
"Shut up."  
  
He's going to get whiplash if Tony doesn't stop jerking him around like this.  
  
"I know at first it was about Jaime. You were trying to help and I needed help. Then you...you...well, you know how you felt. And I kind of took advantage of that for a while. For a while now there's been something else though. You've been...I don't know what you've been doing. Flirting, I guess. Courting is probably a better word for it."  
  
And damn if Gibbs doesn't blush. Tony bites his lip thinking it makes kind of a pretty sight but not daring to say so.   
  
"That's not the problem," Tony smirks, "The problem is that I'm not sure if you're here because you don't want to give up playing daddy or if you...if you really want to be here. For all the reasons you _should_ want to be here."  
  
Gibbs presses his lips into a thin line, biting his tongue.  
  
"If you're going to be here..."  
  
He kisses Tony because he doesn't want to have to try to explain with words that, yes, he wants to be here for all those reasons and more. He wants to get old with someone and he wants that someone to be Tony because...  
  
"Jethro..." Tony breathes and Gibbs pulls back because Tony looks, _sounds_ like he's in pain but then he looks at Gibbs and with one hand that's trembling just ever so slightly, he brings Gibbs in closer for another kiss.  
  
X X X  
  
  
Tony comes out of the bedroom to find Ziva on the couch, fussing over Jaime. She’s one of the few people who haven’t seemed that interested in Tony’s child or in the change in his relationship with their boss. She looks up at him and smiles.  
  
“Hello, Tony.”  
  
“Hey…Ziva. Where’s Gibbs?”  
  
“He had to go with McGee to testify for the last case. You were not feeling well, so I offered to watch Jaime.” Her voice lilts as she says Jaime’s name and she rubs their noses together, making Jaime laugh.  
  
Will wonders never cease?  
  
“Wow, Ziva. I didn’t know you liked kids.”  
  
“Why wouldn’t I?” she asks, with a slightly dangerous glint in her eye.  
  
“Uh…no reason, I just…”  
  
She smiles and lifts Jaime in the air, making faces at him. Tony just shakes his head and goes to put the coffee on. He’s too sick and it’s way too early to even think about Jaime having an Aunty Ziva.  
  
If he thinks about it, he’s going to have to talk about it – being sick messes with his internal censor – and really, he likes all of his body parts just the way they are.


	6. When We Can Really Begin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony calls him and asks him to come over as soon as he can. The boat looks at him forlornly (if a boat _could_ , she would be anyway) and he gives her a pat before climbing the stairs to grab his jacket.  
  
It’s been a few weeks since that first kiss. Those weeks have been filled with more kisses and also more cases. Occasionally Gibbs worries about Tony getting to spend enough time with Jaime and he wonders how much of that worry is tempered by his own loss.  
  
Gibbs opens the door to Tony's apartment and about ten seconds after he steps inside someone is pushing him in further and down onto the couch.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
When he turns he sees Rose and he feels that it's not a five foot nothing woman bearing down on him so much as a three-hundred pound gorilla.  
  
"Rose, I...."  
  
"You remember what I told you?" she growls.  
  
Gibbs nods, wondering what he did to piss her off.  
  
"Good. Don't you _dare_ forget."  
  
"Rose, stop threatening people!" Tony calls from Jaime's room.  
  
"I'm doing no such thing, Anthony DiNozzo!"  
  
Gibbs still looks slightly shell shocked when Tony comes out and he bites back a grin. He hands Rose Jaime's bag and then Jaime, kissing her cheek before stepping back.  
  
"How's the baby?"  
  
"Kicking like a little bastard," she grumbles, rubbing her bulging stomach.  
  
"Thanks again..."  
  
"You're taking the kids to the circus in three weeks," she raises an eyebrow at Gibbs, "And they like you so you'd better make an appearance."  
  
Gibbs laughs and nods, "It'll be my pleasure."  
  
"Damn right," she sniffs, shifting Jaime.  
  
"You know...you want me to carry all of that to the car?"  
  
"I can handle it."  
  
"You're almost nine months..."  
  
"I squeezed out my last kid in the mini-van during rush hour traffic, Tony. If something I can't handle comes along, I'll call you."  
  
Tony balks a little, "You know, I thought Bobby was kidding..."  
  
She gives him a crooked smile and holds her cheek out for another kiss. Tony obliges her and she looks to Gibbs expectantly.  
  
He looks back and forth between them for a second before saying, "Oh!" and shuffling to his feet. He gives her a peck on the cheek and ruffles Jaime's hair.  
  
"Behave," he says sternly.  
  
Jaime blows a raspberry at him and starts smooching on Rose, leaving drool on her cheek.  
  
"Have fun guys!" she calls over her shoulder.  
  
Tony shuts the door and leans against it, exhaling heavily.  
  
"Sorry about that. She gets...uh...testy during her last trimester."  
  
Gibbs laughs and sits on the arm of the couch.  
  
"If that was testy I never wanna see her pissed off. She knocked me flat on my ass."  
  
Tony nods, "She does that. She beat me up a lot when we were kids."  
  
"Doesn't surprise me."  
  
With a shrug Tony sits down and Gibbs crosses his arms, waiting expectantly.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"You gonna tell me what I'm doing here?"  
  
"We've got the whole weekend," Tony leans forward and knocks on the coffee table, "We're alone, thanks to Rose and the fact that half the family is over at her place for the next month."  
  
"You don't want to see them?"  
  
Tony's gaze drops and he smiles, " _They_ don't want to see _me_. They do want to see Jaime though, so...compromise. Rose is taking him until tomorrow afternoon when I will ‘make an appearance’. Hopefully my dad will decide he's too good to show up – again - and I'll only have to deal with my fifteen aunts and uncles and their thirty-seven kids and assorted grandchildren."  
  
"You need to cry on my shoulder?"  
  
"Ha ha. I was planning on seducing you but you've killed the mood, Jethro."  
  
Gibbs comes to kneel in front of Tony, grabbing his legs and sliding him forward on the cushions. Tony's eyes go wide and he flails a little, grabbing onto the arm rest and Gibbs' shoulder. He presses his face up against Tony's neck, breathing in his scent deeply and tasting the skin there.  
  
"How's the mood now?"  
  
"Resuscitated," Tony says hoarsely.  
  
"Good."  
  
With that Gibbs surges up, kissing Tony breathless. Hands roam up thighs and over backs, fingertips hungry for more touch. It's difficult to draw apart for air, like two magnets struggling to come back together; they have to fight against the pull.  
  
"I've...I've never um..." Tony swallows, "I mean I've thought about it."  
  
His eyes are fixed on Gibbs' mouth and he licks his own lips, chasing the taste of the other man's mouth.  
  
"I've been with a few men," Gibbs admits calmly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"You've never..."  
  
"A couple of hand jobs, a few blow jobs. I don't think humping like teenagers in bathrooms counts for much."  
  
They draw close again and Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
"No, it doesn't," he mutters, though he doesn't seem entirely aware of what they're talking about anymore.  
  
"You gonna help me fix that problem?"  
  
"Gladly."  
  
His belt is undone in seconds and he leans back, letting Gibbs unbutton and unzip and pull at his pants until he has access to what he wants. Tony nearly chokes on his own tongue as Gibbs takes Tony's dick in hand and licks the head.  
  
"Jesus, Jethro," he breathes, unable to stop staring.  
  
And Gibbs looks up at him, eyes full of mischief as he takes the head into his mouth.  
  
"Oh...fuck," Tony gasps, wondering what the hell he's gotten himself into.  
  
Gibbs obviously knows what he's doing and is taking full advantage of this fact. He runs his tongue up the underside of Tony's dick, tracing the veins before taking him in fully, moving his head up and down as he reaches underneath to press at the place just behind Tony's balls.  
  
When he pulls away Tony makes a noise of protest until he sees Gibbs pulling off his own clothes.  
  
"Bedroom," Gibbs says hoarsely, "And you'd better have lube."  
  
Tony nods dumbly, fumbling with his own shirt.  
  
They stumble into the room and Gibbs pulls away long enough to jab a thumb at the bedside table.  
  
"Uh...no. Top drawer in the dresser."  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow.  
  
"Night stand always seemed a little too…chronic masturbator or something," Tony shrugs, making a jerking off motion.  
  
With a smirk Gibbs pulls out several tubes of lube, eyebrows climbing ever higher towards his hairline.  
  
"Never hurts to be prepared," Tony grins, "In fact, it usually hurts if you're not."  
  
For a second Gibbs looks at the tubes and then shrugs to himself, bringing them all.  
  
"Pineapple?"  
  
"Tastes better," Tony says smugly.  
  
"I like it better without," Gibbs whispers in Tony's ear, sending a shiver down the man's spine.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
“Yeah. Think I especially like the taste of you.”  
  
Another smirk makes Tony's blood run hot and he dives in for another kiss, trying to ignore the little worm of anxiety as Gibbs' erection presses firmly into his thigh.  
  
Then Gibbs is pulling away, climbing onto the bed and giving Tony a curious look when he doesn't immediately follow.  
  
"Tony?"  
  
"I...um...you know, I...remember when I said never? Because I meant never. Not that I don't want to but I don't know if I'm...really ready to um..."  
  
Gibbs rolls his eyes and grabs Tony's hand, yanking him down on the bed and smacking him upside the head. He rolls them over until he's straddling Tony's hips, flips off the cap on a tube of lube and slicks up his fingers before reaching behind his own balls. His face contorts a little and Tony frowns briefly before his eyes go wide and he realizes, with a sudden shot of lust, that Gibbs is fingering _himself_.  
  
"That is so hot," Tony mutters breathily.  
  
"Shut up and slick up," Gibbs growls, hips stuttering a little.  
  
Tony licks his lips and reaches for one of the bottles, squirting a little too much into his hand in his eagerness. He starts stroking himself and for a minute he wants to laugh because he hasn't felt this stupid and nervous about sex in years.  
  
"You ready?" Gibbs gasps, eyes screwed shut.  
  
"Yeah...fuck, yeah."  
  
The corner of Gibbs' mouth twitches up into a smile and he pulls out his fingers, gripping Tony's dick and lining them up before slowly sliding down.  
  
For a second he sits there, hands pressed firmly into the mattress on either side of Tony's head, arms shaking ever so slightly and head hanging as he breathes in and out slowly.  
  
"Are you...?"  
  
"Just give it a second," Gibbs bites out, "It's been a while."  
  
That thought is simultaneously hot and annoying. Tony pictures Gibbs bent over for some marine somewhere that probably didn't give two shits who he was sticking his dick into and Gibbs...Gibbs wasn't really a one night stand kind of guy. He invested into things, sometimes more than he should. But who was Tony to complain about that? It had gotten him this.  
  
When Gibbs finally starts to move, it's with small, slow thrusts, just barely pulling up and then dropping down again like he might hurt something. Tony runs his hands up Gibbs' arms, trying to pull him down for a kiss. Gibbs grins a little and bends, waiting until their lips are just barely touching before murmuring, "You gonna fuck me or not, DiNozzo?"  
  
Tony grins and bucks up in response, making Gibbs gasp.  
  
"Little hard from this position, Jethro. You wanna get fucked you either gotta let me move or do it yourself."  
  
Gibbs sits back and starts moving in earnest.  
  
"Think I need to teach you a few things before you start getting cocky."  
  
"If those things involve orgasms I'll be an apt pupil."  
  
As they build closer and closer, Tony gasps something about love and Gibbs groans something similar in return. They fall over the edge together, bodies sticking together as they collapse, breath heaving and hands roaming, not for purchase but for the simple enjoyment of feeling the other. Just to be close and satisfied.  
  
"Should we get up?"  
  
"Nah."  
  
"We're a little sticky," Tony persists.  
  
"Get a washcloth."  
  
Tony bites Gibbs' neck and then quickly rolls out of bed, heading towards the bathroom.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Getting a washcloth!"  
  
With a smug grin Tony makes sure to give Gibbs a really good view of his ass as he bends over to wet the washcloth in the tub. Sure, he could do it in the sink, but where would the fun be in that? He doesn't apologize for the love bite, he figures Gibbs is a cranky son-of-a-bitch who's lived by himself just a little too long and he'll need to be kept in line. He'll also need to be reminded that the whole giving orders thing stops as soon as they've left NCIS. Of course Tony will have to remember that he can't start challenging those orders just because he's sleeping with the boss but he figures that won't be as much of a problem as having to keep his hands to himself all day long.  
  
He wipes the washcloth over Gibbs' stomach before moving lower, leaning down to take another kiss. When he's finished he tosses it in the general direction of the bathroom and flops back down.  
  
"We going to stay in bed all day?"  
  
Gibbs pulls him closer and grumbles.  
  
"You going to argue with a chance to lay in bed all day?"  
  
Tony thinks about it for all of five seconds.  
  
"Shutting up."  
  
"Good boy."


	7. Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony shuffles out to the front door, dragging his feet and wincing against the sunlight. Jaime was up all night with a cold, " _again_ " Tony thinks, grumbling under his breath.  
  
"Yeah?" he bites out, not bothering to take the chain off the door.  
  
"Anthony DiNozzo?"  
  
Tony blinks and wipes the grime out of his eyes.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"My name is Colleen Marcus. I'm Olyvia's mother."  
  
He doesn't mean to stare at her for so long but he's kind of in shock. She's a somewhat statuesque woman, silver hair and striking dark brown eyes standing out against ivory skin.  
  
"You...you're Olyvia's mother?"  
  
"Yes," she smiles.  
  
"No offense but you seem so...normal."  
  
He finally undoes the chain on the door and gestures her inside.  
  
Colleen chuckles and nods, "My daughter's definitely been here."  
  
"Not to be rude, but why are _you_ here?"  
  
They sit on the couch and Colleen hands him a thick folder.  
  
"I've been trying to track Olyvia down for eleven years now. She never settles in one place for long but she's spent the majority of the last two years here. The trail stops with you."  
  
Tony flips through the folder, pictures of Olyvia when she was young looking happy and sane, later pictures, obviously taken with high-powered lenses or from security cameras.  
  
"Why...?" his mouth snaps shut. He's not even sure what he's asking.  
  
"Why is she running? Why am I chasing her?"  
  
"Well...yeah."  
  
Colleen pulls a worn picture out of her wallet and smiles at it sadly.  
  
"Olyvia was diagnosed bipolar when she was thirteen. Her treatment was handled...poorly. Her father couldn't accept that it couldn't be fixed, that it was a lifelong problem that she would have to learn to live with. Because _he_ couldn't cope...neither could she. He and I divorced two years later and I remarried soon after. Frank has always been good to Olyvia and she loves him dearly but when it came to her treatment she was...she was just so angry about it. I can't say I blame her. When she was eighteen she left home and I haven't seen her, in the flesh leastways, since then."  
  
Gibbs' sleep-heavy voice comes from the hall and Tony presses the heel of his palm against his forehead.  
  
"Tony?"  
  
Colleen's head shoots up and Gibbs' eyes go wide when he sees her. He's only wearing a t-shirt and boxers and he, in a moment Tony will later tease him mercilessly about, grabs a picture frame and holds it over his crotch.  
  
"Um..." Colleen averts her eyes, "I didn't mean to..."  
  
"I...he...uh..." Tony stammers.  
  
Jaime begins to cry at this precise moment and both men groan.  
  
"I got him," Gibbs mutters giving up all semblance of dignity as he head's for Jaime's room.  
  
"A...baby?" Colleen ventures.  
  
Tony stares at her for a terrifying moment as fear creeps into his gut.  
  
"He's uh...he's...Christ, this isn't easy to say," Tony takes a deep breath, "He's Olyvia's."  
  
Colleen's hand flies to her mouth and tears well up in her eyes.  
  
"...w-what's his name?" she whispers, voice choked with emotion.  
  
"Jaime. He's a little over a year."  
  
Gibbs comes back through with Jaime and heads, Tony assumes, for the nearest pair of pants. Colleen strains to get a look at him and Tony feels his heart break a little bit.  
  
"Olyvia um...she left one day while I was at the store. She left Jaime alone here. I haven't seen her since."  
  
Colleen's eyes close, face pained as she brings her hands to her lap.  
  
"So the two of you...," she pauses, "Oh, to hell with it, I'm too old to beat around the bush anymore. Are you gay?"  
  
"I'm uh...bisexual?" Tony shrugs, "He's the first guy I've ever really had a relationship with."  
  
It feels strange to admit and stranger that he's admitting it to a stranger.  
  
"What's _his_ name?"  
  
"Jethro."  
  
Colleen raises an eyebrow at this and Tony shrugs with a grin.  
  
"He..." Colleen begins.  
  
"He...had a kid," Tony interrupts, "She um...anyway, he knows what he's doing."  
  
Gibbs reemerges, with pants, and hands Jaime to Tony while he tests the bottle. Satisfied, he hands the bottle to Tony who looks at Colleen before offering to let her do the honors. Gibbs frowns, turning questioning eyes on Tony as Colleen takes Jaime and begins to feed him, her face a mixture of joy and sorrow.  
  
"Jethro, this is Colleen. She's Olyvia's mother."  
  
That gets him a look of surprise. Gibbs watches Colleen feed Jaime for a moment longer before he turns on his heel.  
  
"Excuse me," he mutters, heading off into the bedroom.  
  
Tony watches him go but doesn't dare leave the couch. As much as Colleen seems like a nice lady, he doesn't feel entirely comfortable leaving his child alone with her.  
  
"Is he alright?"  
  
"I have no idea,” Tony admits, “He's usually not like that."  
  
"I'd imagine it's a little unsettling having me here."  
  
With a shrug, Tony reaches out to adjust Jaime's socks.  
  
"He's been helping me since Olyvia left. I couldn't have kept it together without him."  
  
"How long have you been together?"  
  
"We've known each for years but this..." he gestures vaguely, "it's uh...fairly recent. A few months now."  
  
Colleen hoists Jaime up and burps him before handing him back to Tony, though she seems reluctant to do so.  
  
"Do you think it's serious?"  
  
Tony smiles down at Jaime who's quickly falling back to sleep.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"What was your relationship like with my daughter?"  
  
Her eyes are somber but not judging, so Tony sighs and shrugs again.  
  
"I wish I could say I was a model boyfriend. I kept it casual and I didn't react well when she told me she was pregnant. I didn't want to have kids...not yet, anyway,” he amends, touching Jaime’s hand, “We tried to make it work but...she would fly off the handle and I didn't know how to help her so I just..."  
  
"Let the whole thing self-destruct?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Tony feels guilty. He'd always just called her crazy, not really taking the time to look at the fact that maybe she had really needed help.  
  
"I've heard similar stories from other boyfriends. Though you're the first one she's turned gay," Colleen smirks.  
  
Tony raises an eyebrow, "Am I the first one with a baby?"  
  
Colleen's smirk fades and she nods.  
  
"Olyvia never wanted to have children either. She was afraid they would turn out like her."  
  
They sit in silence for a moment, staring at the folder spread out between them.  
  
"I...I should go. If you hear from her..." Colleen pulls out a card and sets it on the coffee table, "Please call me?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
She looks longingly at Jaime, hands clutching the folder. Tony bites his lip, conflict warring within him as he struggles between the urge to protect Jaime and the knowledge that this woman, despite being a stranger to him, is still Jaime's grandmother. A tie to a mother he may never know.  
  
"I'd like it if you came to visit him. My family is um...well, I'm not usually welcome. So it'd be nice if he had at least one grandparent."  
  
"Would you mind if Frank came with me next time? He's actually out in the car right now but he can be a little intimidating sometimes so..."  
  
"You know, that's usually the problem I have with Jethro," Tony grins, "That'd be fine."  
  
Tony fishes out his own card and hands it to her as he walks her to the door.  
  
"If you talk to her...let her know that if she can straighten things out she has a son who needs her."  
  
Frank, as it turns out, decided to come upstairs. He glances up at them with the ease of a man who knows he can snap you in half without breaking a sweat. His smile is easy and slow, his deep brown skin showing no signs of age, even though his hair is a shock of white on his skull.  
  
"You promised to wait," Colleen chides.  
  
"Can I help it if I worry about you?"  
  
"I suppose not. Anthony..."  
  
"Call me Tony."  
  
"Tony, this is Frank. Frank, this is Tony and...this is Jaime."  
  
"He's got Olyvia's nose," Frank says with a note of sadness.  
  
Tony shoots him a crooked smile, "Small blessings."  
  
Frank chuckles a little, taking Colleen's hand.  
  
"Good luck," Tony calls after her.  
  
"Thank you," she smiles gently, "Take care of my grandson."  
  
Tony nods and shuts the door. Colleen left a picture of Olyvia on the coffee table and Tony would bet money it wasn't by accident. She looks beautiful and sweet and everything a little boy would wish his mother to be. He puts it away with the few other things Olyvia left behind that were worth saving.  
  
"She gone?"  
  
Tony looks up at Gibbs and nods, scrutinizing the other man.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You're worried about something."  
  
"Am I getting that easy to read?"  
  
Gibbs sits close and takes one of Jaime's hands in his own.  
  
"He's not going anywhere," Tony says firmly, "and neither are you."  
  
Maybe it's the vehemence in his voice or the look in his eyes but Gibbs looks up at him with that surprise that Tony's getting used to. It's a little nice to know he can keep the old bastard on his toes and a little sad to think that it's always when Tony insists that he wants Gibbs to be around, that he wants _him_ , that Gibbs always looks the most shocked.  
  
Tony kisses him, briefly, licking his lips as they pull apart.  
  
"I've known you for a while now, right?"  
  
A small grin tugs at Gibbs' mouth, "Yeah."  
  
"I know you pretty well?"  
  
Gibbs nods, "I'd say so."  
  
"Then I want you to stop doubting me."  
  
A frown of confusion blossoms and pulls at Gibbs' brow.  
  
"Say again?"  
  
Tony kisses him again and when he pulls back this time he catches Gibbs' gaze and holds it with certainty.  
  
"I want you here. I want you to be a part of Jaime's life. And mine. The rest of it doesn't matter to me if I can come home to this."  
  
Gibbs swallows and after a moment of trying to pull himself together he wraps his arms around them both.  
  
"Ok," he says thickly, "Ok."


	8. Assurances

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony has Gibbs pressed up against the wall and Gibbs is smiling at him, hands on Tony's hips.  
  
"Got a question."  
  
"Yeah?" Tony waggles his eyebrows.  
  
For a second Gibbs can't seem to say anything, as if his voice has completely failed him.  
  
"I uh...want you and Jaime to move in with me."  
  
  
  
Tony's face goes blank with surprise and Gibbs looks a little deflated until Tony leans in and kisses him. He's not sure if that's a yes but it's better than an outright no.  
  
"Ahem."  
  
Tony pulls away slightly, turning his face away from their guests and Gibbs smiles, directing his gaze to the floor as laughter shakes his body. He has to laugh with him, Tony thinks, because it's not everyday that Gibbs finds interruption amusing.   
  
"Um...sorry," McGee mutters.  
  
"Guys, as much as I enjoy your hot make-out sessions, unfortunately we came here for work related reasons. But really, feel free to do that in my lab whenever you want."   
  
McGee clears his throat a little, shifting uncomfortably and Abby smacks him.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Not a word. Ever. To anyone."  
  
"I...no...I..."  
  
"Good boy," Abby smirks.  
  
Tony backs up and turns to face them.  
  
"What's the news, Abby?"  
  
"Oh, my God, Tony. You look completely..."  
  
"Abby!" Gibbs barks.  
  
"Hot," she finishes, "So we finally picked up their trail. They're in Baltimore."  
  
"Right now?" Tony asks.  
  
"Right now," Abby grins, holding up a GPS tracker.  
  
"...wow. Good job, Abby."  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow and smacks him upside the head.  
  
"...thanks, Boss," Tony grimaces.  
  
"This is so weird..." McGee breathes.  
  
Abby smacks him again and locks eyes with Gibbs, who laughs as he passes them, grabbing the tracker.  
  
"Come on, DiNozzo."  
  
"Um...are you forgetting something kind of important?"  
  
"I'll watch the baby," Abby volunteers with a huge smile.  
  
Tony looks back and forth between her and Gibbs. Gibbs shrugs and Tony snatches the baby monitor off of the hall table, thrusting it into Abby's hands.  
  
"McGeek too?"  
  
"Sure!" Abby chirps.  
  
"Um..."  
  
"No arguments, McGee!" Gibbs snaps.  
  
Tony smirks and slaps McGee on the back.  
  
"He ate twenty minutes ago, he's down for a nap and he'll need a diaper change in about forty minutes when he wakes up. He likes Cheerios and bananas for snacks. He'll take a sippy cup of apple juice whenever he eats. He's had a runny nose the last two days. Have fun!"  
  
McGee looks shell-shocked but Abby just waves him off.  
  
"Go on you two."  
  
"And call me if you need me."  
  
"We will, Tony."  
  
"And the emergency numbers are on the fridge."  
  
"Ok, Tony."  
  
He hops as he puts on his shoes, snatching up his holster and grabbing the gun from the lock box that Gibbs is holding out.  
  
"And if Rose calls, or comes over just...just..."  
  
"Smile, nod, agree with everything she says," Gibbs finishes, handing Tony his coat.  
  
"Yeah, exactly," Tony says, jabbing a thumb at Gibbs.  
  
"Bye guys!"  
  
"And..."  
  
"DiNozzo! Leaving!"  
  
Tony grabs his keys and scrambles after him.  
  
McGee blinks after the door slams and then looks at Abby.  
  
"They'll...probably be back before Jaime wakes up."  
  
"Right," Abby nods, biting back a smirk.  
  
"Dada!" wails over the baby monitor.  
  
Abby pats McGee on the arm and practically skips to Jaime's room.  
  
"Hi, Jaime!  
  
"Abba!"  
  
"Abba?"  
  
"Yeah...weird, right? Anyway, Jaime, this is McGee."  
  
"Gee?"  
  
"...close enough!"  
  
Abby picks Jaime up and kisses his cheek, before checking his diaper.  
  
"No land mines yet. You hungry?"  
  
Jaime sniffles and shakes his head.  
  
"Aww...have you been a sick baby?"  
  
He nods and sniffles again, snot starting to drip down.  
  
"Tissues, McGee."  
  
McGee glances around, grabbing a box off of the changing table.  
  
"Those are baby wipes. Try the bathroom."  
  
He comes back with wads of toilet paper and Abby chuckles, taking a few squares and swiping at Jaime's face.  
  
"There, that's better."  
  
Jaime groans a little and tucks up close, pressing his little face against her neck. Abby frowns.  
  
"Oh my God, McGee. Feel his forehead."  
  
McGee does, frowning as well.  
  
"He feels kind of warm."  
  
"See if you can find a thermometer."  
  
McGee searches through the bathroom and the bedroom before finally coming across it in the changing table drawers.  
  
"How...oh, never mind."  
  
He gently presses it into Jaime's ear and fiddles with the buttons.  
  
"...102. Oh, god, that's bad, isn't it? 102 is really high."  
  
"It's not low," Abby presses her lips together and looks up at McGee.  
  
"Should we call Tony?"  
  
"They _just_ left,” Abby shifts nervously, “We'll...we'll check the emergency numbers."  
  
McGee points at her and then the kitchen.  
  
"Right,” he nods, “Good idea."  
  
He rushes out into the kitchen and comes back with the list, phone at the ready.  
  
"So?"  
  
"Um...Jaime's doctor!" she instructs, reading over his shoulder.  
  
McGee dials and then bounces in place a little.  
  
"Hello? Hi! We're um...we're babysitting Jaime DiNozzo, his father's at work so we can't reach him and he's got a really high fever...sorry, um...Jaime DiNozzo. Yes, 102...he seems um..."  
  
He puts his hand over the receiver, "How does he seem?"  
  
"A little lethargic? Runny nose."  
  
"A little lethargic and he's had a runny nose for a few days...now? Right now? OK, um...how do we...um...OK, thank you."  
  
Abby's eyes go wide and she stares at him, waiting for information.  
  
"They want us to bring him in right now."  
  
\---  
  
Tony wipes the back of his hand across his sweaty forehead, smearing blood across his face.  
  
"You alright?" he asks shakily, looking Gibbs over.  
  
"Fine. You?"  
  
"I'm ok. The EMT said she'd make it."  
  
Gibbs nods and picks up the shattered remains of his phone.  
  
"Reboot?"  
  
"Um...you know, Boss..." Tony shakes his head.  
  
Gibbs frowns and tosses it over his shoulder.  
  
Tony realizes his phone is vibrating and pulls it out, wincing when he notices all the blood.  
  
"DiNozzo."  
  


_"Tony! Don't you two answer your phones anymore?"_

  
  
"Um...we had a situation, Abby, what's wrong?"  
  


_"Nothing's really...wrong. Everything's under control. We're...we're just at the hospital."_

  
  
"...Abby, why are you at the hospital?"  
  
Gibbs' head snaps up and he stalks over, eyes worried.  
  


_"Jaime was running a fever and his pediatrician told us to come in. He's fine, they're just monitoring him for a little while. Really. Nothing to worry about."_

  
  
Tony mouths ‘fever’ at Gibbs, "Which hospital?"  
  


_"Bethesda."_

  
  
"Bethesda," Tony repeats, looking up at Gibbs, "We'll be there in thirty..."  
  
"Fifteen," Gibbs barks, already moving towards the car.  
  
"Fifteen minutes."  
  


_"Gibbs is driving?"_

  
  
"Yes."  
  


_"I'll pray for you."_

  
  
"Thanks."  
  
Gibbs waits patiently until Tony is buckled in and fully braced - hand on the door grip, foot on the dashboard - before peeling out.  
  
They make it there in 14 minutes and 59 seconds.  
  
Tony is out first, before the car is even fully stopped, running towards the entrance. Gibbs catches up to him at the nurse's station.  
  
"...room 309, 3rd floor."  
  
The elevator ride is agony and Gibbs reaches out but Tony seems to need his space, so he pulls back again, watching the other man fidget, as he stares at the numbers with intense focus.  
  
Tony bolts off of the elevator and then stops dead, glancing around looking somewhat lost. A nurse steps forward with a smile.  
  
"Sir? Do you need help?"  
  
"My son is in room 309."  
  
"Right down the hall," he points.  
  
The nurse stops Gibbs with one hand, still smiling.  
  
"I'm sorry, sir, only immediate family after visiting hours."  
  
Gibbs looks after Tony who's already disappeared into the room - is already with Jaime, and considers punching this guy in the throat.  
  
"Jethro?"  
  
Tony leans back out, brow furrowed in confusion.  
  
"Sir, I'm sorry, only family..."  
  
"He is family," Tony snaps, stalking over.  
  
He grabs Gibbs' hand, gives the nurse a pretty goddamned scary look - that Gibbs inwardly smiles at - and yanks Gibbs down the hall.  
  
Jaime is impossibly tiny in the hospital crib. He's asleep, breathing normal, everything except his temperature seeming fine. Abby is wringing her hands in the corner, talking to McGee but launches herself at Tony and Gibbs, wrapping them up in a huge hug, as soon as she sees them.  
  
"I am so glad you're here."  
  
Tony reaches out to touch Jaime and realizes he's still covered in blood.  
  
He heaves a sigh and looks around for a sink.  
  
"Think I can scare that nurse into loaning me a set of scrubs?"  
  
Gibbs chuckles, "He might be too busy cleaning up the puddle of piss he made when you yelled at him."  
  
Tony grins ferally and scrubs at his hands furiously in the hot water.  
  
"How is he, Abby?"  
  
"He's fine, really. His temperature's still a little high but the doctor gave him some medicine a little while ago and it's been going down."  
  
Gibbs washes his hands as well and they go over to the crib, barely daring to touch.  
  
McGee sidles up, looking at all the blood on Tony.  
  
"Are...you both ok?"  
  
"We're fine," Gibbs says a little too gruffly. He softens it by patting McGee on the shoulder.  
  
"Thanks for taking care of Jaime, guys," Tony smiles.  
  
Gibbs nods and lays a hand on Jaime's back, letting out a breath of relief.  
  
\---  
  
They bring Jaime home a day later with a healing gash from the IV that will likely scar.  
  
Tony practically sits on Gibbs when they hit the couch, letting out a breath of relief.  
  
"Let's never do that again."  
  
Gibbs laughs, "Unless we put him in a bubble..."  
  
"I know. Still…"  
  
With a shake of his head, Gibbs tilts Tony's head back and kisses him soundly.  
  
"He'll be ok."  
  
"Yeah," Tony presses his face against Gibbs' neck and breathes him in.  
  
"Mmm..."  
  
"The answer's yes, you know."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well...can't live in this apartment forever and it seems a shame that your poor house never gets to see you anymore. Not to mention your boat."  
  
Gibbs hugs him a little and kisses Tony's temple.  
  
"The kid'll have a yard to play in."  
  
"All new ways to get hurt."  
  
"You forget what it's like to be a kid?"  
  
Tony bristles, "No...I just...you know."  
  
"I know," Gibbs chuckles, "I know."  
  
  
\--  
  
Gibbs stands, holding his gun on the perp, eyes flicking over to Tony occasionally. Ziva whips out her cuffs, digging her knee viciously into the man’s back.  
  
“Go to him, you idiot,” she hisses, jerking her head towards where Tony’s lying.  
  
Gibbs keeps his gun on the man but starts edging towards Tony, only holstering his weapon when Ziva has the cuffs in place.  
  
“Tony?”  
  
“Yeah, Boss?” Tony grinds out.  
  
“Where…”  
  
“Shot in the side, trying to keep pressure on it.”  
  
“Let me,” Gibbs says, reaching out with shaking hands, “Ziva, call in an ambulance, DiNozzo’s been shot!”  
  
“I already called one, Boss,” McGee shouts as he runs in, “I heard shots fired.”  
  
“Where’s Lane?”  
  
“Cuffed and in the car, Boss,” McGee assures him, “child safety locks on the doors, he’s not going anywhere.”  
  
Ziva forces Bettany to his knees in front of Tony and growls dangerously in his ear.  
  
“If he dies there is nothing on this Earth that will save you from me,” she promises.  
  
Tony’s face is pale but he laughs, “Come on, Ziva, he might pee himself. Then we’ll have to get the car cleaned again.”  
  
She nods to Gibbs who nods back, feeling like he probably looks as pale as Tony at this point. He can’t slip the snarl and bite back into place but the job is done and all he has to worry about now is keeping Tony alive and getting him home safe.  
  
“Need to call Rose,” Tony reminds him, swallowing hard.  
  
“Don’t worry about it,” Gibbs soothes, “It’s not like she’s going to leave him alone if we’re not there.”  
  
“I know but she’ll worry.”  
  
“I’ll take care of everything. You just…save your strength, ok?”  
  
Tony grimaces, sucking in a breath, “God, Boss. That was so cliché.”  
  
“You watch too many damn movies,” Gibbs chides.  
  
McGee waves in the EMTs, rushing them to Tony’s side. Gibbs backs off, hands covered in Tony’s blood.  
  
“Boss,” McGee shakes his shoulder a little, “Boss, you with me?”  
  
“What?” Gibbs blinks, “Yeah, McGee, what is it?”  
  
“You go with Tony,” McGee says gently, “Ziva and I have things here covered. I’ll have Abby go pick up Jaime and we’ll take care of everything.”  
  
“Ok…ok, thanks.”  
  
McGee goes to talk to the EMTs as they strap Tony onto a gurney, gesturing towards Gibbs and then Tony. His stance and the look on his face broker no argument and Gibbs still has enough of his brain in place to be proud.  
  
“Ok, Boss, you’re gonna ride with Tony in the ambulance. We’ll pick you up later.”  
  
“Thanks, Tim.”  
  
McGee squeezes his shoulder and nods, mouthing ‘yeah’ before stalking off.  
  
Everything is a blur from there; the shaky ambulance ride, the rush of getting Tony into the operating room. He sits in the waiting room, measuring time with coffee cups and ignoring the vague feeling of nausea that comes from too much caffeine, not enough food and gnawing worry.  
  
“Agent Gibbs?”  
  
“Yes,” Gibbs jumps up, “How is he?”  
  
“He’s fine and in recovery right now. The bullet didn’t do any serious damage but he did lose quite a bit of blood. We’ll keep him here for a few days for observation but there’s no reason to expect he won’t recover fully.”  
  
“Can I see him?”  
  
“You’re his next of kin?”  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“Then yes but only for five minutes or so. After that you’ll have to wait until he’s moved to one of the regular rooms tomorrow morning.”  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
The doctor leads Gibbs to the ICU and pauses outside of Tony’s room.  
  
“He’s probably not going to be awake and even if he is he’s going to be very incoherent.”   
  
“I know the drill,” Gibbs nods.  
  
The doctor gestures him inside and leaves for which Gibbs is thankful. Tony’s hooked up to an IV and has an oxygen line in his nose but he doesn’t look like he’s in any pain. It eases the knot in his gut just a little to know at least that much.  
  
“Tony?”  
  
No response, no fluttering of eyelids, no moans. Tony’s well and truly knocked out.  
  
“Doctor says you’re gonna be fine,” Gibbs says, brushing Tony’s hair back, “We’ll have you home in a few days.”  
  
He glances at the glass walls but there’s noone except the occupied nurse at the nurse’s station so he leans down and lays a soft kiss on Tony’s dry lips.  
  
“I’ll be by tomorrow morning with the kid, ok? Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”  
  
“Agent Gibbs? Time to go.”  
  
Gibbs nods and reaches down to squeeze Tony’s hand.  
  
When he gets home Rose, eyes red-rimmed and hands shaking, is sitting there with Abby, and he just opens his arms and lets her hug him hard enough to hurt.


	9. Two Dinners and a Night Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Rose is at his door with Jaime on her hip looking nervous as hell.  
  
“What is it?” Tony asks warily, looking Jaime over.  
  
“Um…”  
  
“Oh Jesus, Rose! What is it?”  
  
“It’s not Jaime, everybody’s fine I just um…I did something I promised I’d never do.”  
  
Tony blinks at her for a moment, before his eyes go wide.  
  
“You didn’t.”  
  
“Didn’t what?” Gibbs snaps, pushing through the crowd in the doorway with bags of groceries in tow.  
  
“Rose, you did not fucking call him.”  
  
“Hey!” Gibbs barks.  
  
They turn to him and he gestures to Jaime with a nod of his head.  
  
“Language, Tony.”  
  
“Sorry,” he says and then turns back to Jaime, “Sorry, kiddo.”  
  
“Can I come in?”  
  
Tony takes Jaime, fully prepared to shut the door in her face.  
  
“Tony, please!”  
  
With a sigh and an angry glare, Tony finally steps back.  
  
“He wants to see you.”  
  
“Right,” Tony scoffs  
  
“He _does_ ,” Rose insists.  
  
Gibbs comes in, shucking his jacket.  
  
“Who’s ‘he’?”  
  
Tony raises an eyebrow at Rose, who winces.   
  
“Tony’s dad.”  
  
“The ‘real’ Tony DiNozzo,” Tony bites out.  
  
Rose fidgets, obviously nervous and upset.  
  
“He’s kind of in the car.”  
  
There’s a knock and she startles.  
  
“He’s kind of at the door.”  
  
Tony sighs, “He always was impatient.”  
  
“Tony…” Gibbs begins.  
  
“Don’t bail on me now, Jethro. If anything I’ll need you to restrain me.”  
  
Tony’s forced grin makes Gibbs chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. Tony opens the door, Jaime still in tow and DiNozzo Sr. looks them over shrewdly.  
  
“Junior! …Well, aren’t you going to invite me in?”  
  
“Depends. Why’re you here?”  
  
Tony’s dad, for a brief moment, seems as if he’s about to spit out some cliché line about an old man coming to see his son and then shakes his head.  
  
“You made a beautiful kid, Tony. Rose tells me you’re doing a wonderful job with him. I know…that’s through no fault of mine.”   
  
Jaime squirms and reaches for Tony Sr. who takes him with a smile. Tony knows, knew, that his dad had seen Jaime at a family function or two which Tony had carefully avoided but it was still strange to see his father holding him.   
  
He steps back, casting his gaze away and then flicking it back again. Tony Sr. nods his thanks and steps inside, giving awkward greetings to Gibbs and Rose.  
  
“I’ll uh…” Rose gestures, giving Tony an apologetic grimace.  
  
She gives Tony a kiss and a long hug before leaving, wiggling her fingers at Gibbs.  
  
“So uh…you’re Tony’s…” Tony Sr. flounders, “I’m sorry, what do I call you?”  
  
Tony slides over, wrapping an arm around Gibbs’ waist.  
  
“You’re the boss, Gibbs. What do we call you?”  
  
With a raised eyebrow and a smirk, Gibbs kisses Tony briefly.  
  
“Barring a few legalities I’m your husband, smartass.”  
  
Tony’s pleased grin makes Gibbs grin in return. He shakes his head and then jerks it at the kitchen.  
  
“You mind putting the groceries away? Give us a minute?”  
  
With a wary glance and a nervous smile Tony glances between Gibbs and his father and nods hesitantly, making his exit.  
  
Tony Sr. looks over Gibbs with a critical eye and Gibbs glares back.  
  
“I always thought it seemed a little…unusual. The way you took me aside.”  
  
“I don’t really give a shit what you thought. Tony deserves better and you know it.”  
  
“My relationship with my son is still none of your business.”  
  
“Tony’s happiness is my business.”  
  
Gibbs steps forward.  
  
“And Jaime’s happiness is my business. You make them unhappy and you’ll force me to be…uncivil.”  
  
He doesn’t bother masking the malice behind those words and Tony Sr. doesn’t bother hiding the anger in his own gaze.  
  
“So you’d better make them happy,” Gibbs growls lowly after a long pause.  
  
This seems to cut some of the tension as Tony Sr. regards Gibbs carefully. Gibbs isn’t kicking him out so much as laying down the law and Tony Sr. seems to respect that. Tony comes back in and appears to look them over for injuries. Finding none he lets out a sigh and comes to Gibbs’ side.  
  
“Mr. DiNozzo…”  
  
“Please, call me Tony.”  
  
“No. You’re Mr. DiNozzo, Anthony, or Senior - take your pick. There’s only one Tony in this house.”  
  
Tony hides his smile by kissing Gibbs’ shoulder in a show of soothing Gibbs’ anger. He squeezes his arm a little towards that end, hoping Gibbs doesn’t completely lose his temper but doesn’t think he’ll mind terribly much if Gibbs lets DiNozzo Senior have it a _little_.  
  
“I suppose it’s too much to ask to just be called Dad or Grandpa.”  
  
“You suppose right,” Gibbs snaps.  
  
“Alright, um…Gibbs? Kitchen?”  
  
Tony leads him away, throwing his father a shrug and a ‘sorry about my boyfriend hating you’ smile.  
  
“Sorry…” Gibbs starts to say.  
  
“No, that was kind of awesome; I just didn’t want you to make him cry.”  
  
Gibbs smirks and snorts, shaking his head as he pulls Tony closer.  
  
“I want you to have him around, you know? I just don’t want it to be easy for him to act like nothing’s wrong.”  
  
Tony kisses Gibbs and heaves out a small sigh.  
  
“Yeah, I can’t say I’m not enjoying it,” Tony shrugs, “In fact I might be enjoying it too much. But he owes me. A lot.”  
  
“He does,” Gibbs agrees, tucking his hands into the back pockets of Tony’s jeans.  
  
“I’m kind of nervous,” Tony admits, “I don’t want to give him a chance and then…”  
  
“Have him pull the same stunts again?”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony nods, voice a little shaky, “I couldn’t take it if he bailed on me again. I mean he’s a bastard but he’s my dad, you know? I just want to make this work.”  
  
Gibbs kisses Tony’s chin and then his lips.   
  
“You want me to boot his ass out the door you just say the word. I’ll make sure to leave an imprint as a souvenir.”  
  
“Thanks,” Tony grins half-heartedly, looking a little too lost for Gibbs to stomach.  
  
He pulls Tony into a fierce hug and tries not to go out there and pummel DiNozzo Senior’s face in.  
  
“Have I told you I love you?”  
  
“Not for at least an hour,” Tony snorts.  
  
“Can’t hurt to say it again,” Gibbs smiles against his shoulder, “I love you.”  
  
Tony sighs again, arms tightening fractionally.  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
Gibbs pulls back to kiss him, taking Tony’s face in his hands. It’s deep and heady and leaves Tony feeling slightly weak in the knees.  
  
The timer on the oven dings and Gibbs pulls back with an annoyed grunt, laying a final soft kiss on Tony’s parted lips before pulling away.  
  
“Dinner.”  
  
“I’ll uh…” Tony gestures towards the stove.  
  
“I’ll…” Gibbs gestures at the living room, frowning.  
  
“Thanks.”  
  
Gibbs rolls his eyes and tilts his head, straightening his shoulders as he stalks back out.  
  
“Dinner’s done,” he grumbles, bending to pick up Jaime.  
  
“I really can’t…”  
  
“Dinner,” Gibbs growls with a glare, “is done. _You_ are _staying_.”  
  
He points forcefully at the dining room and waits until Senior takes the hint and goes to make himself comfortable.  
  
Jaime, with a silly grin on his face, is bashing on a toy that lights up and plays music. Gibbs lays a hand on his little head and smiles down at him.  
  
“Love you, kiddo. Make sure I don’t let you forget, ok?”  
  
Jaime flails his limbs a little, screeching his agreement and gnawing on one of Gibbs’ fingers.  
  
“Alright, alright. Dinner’s done - no need to resort to cannibalism just yet.”  
  
Christ, he’s starting to sound like Tony. The thought forces him to bite back a grin as he walks into the dining room where food is already served up. He plops Jaime down in his lap and feeds him from his own plate, still glaring daggers at Senior.   
  
“Senior.”  
  
Senior looks up, eyebrow raised with mild disdain and sets down his fork.  
  
“I thought I had a choice in the matter?”  
  
“Changed my mind,” Gibbs says around a mouthful of meatloaf.  
  
Tony carefully keeps his face buried in his plate as he hides his grin.  
  
“This is um…very homey,” Senior ventures.  
  
“Thanks. It’s not the Carlton-Ritz but thank God for that,” Tony grins.  
  
“It’s lovely,” Senior says firmly.  
  
“Like the meatloaf?”  
  
“Yes, thank you.”  
  
Gibbs spoons Jaime a mouthful of mashed potatoes and tries not to be snide. It’s hard, all things considered, but he somehow makes it through the meal without calling Senior out on any of his obvious lies.  
  
“Well, it’s been great to see you again, Junior but I really do have to be going.”  
  
“You could crash on the couch,” Tony offers, “We were going to take Jaime to the park tomorrow, maybe toss around the old pig skin.”  
  
“Isn’t he a little young for that?”  
  
“Well, he’s going to be spending more time getting fussed over by Abby than doing any actual tossing.”  
  
“Abby?” Senior says with interest, “She was that beautiful young lab technician, right?”  
  
“The one and only,” Tony grins.  
  
“Not that she’s interested,” Gibbs smirks, “But watch it.”  
  
“Don’t you have your hands full with these two?” Senior gestures with a critical eye.  
  
“She’s like a daughter to me,” Gibbs smiles back ferally, “and Tony can tell you exactly how far I’m willing to go for family.”  
  
“Stop it,” Tony admonishes, flicking his ear.   
  
Senior raises an eyebrow and Tony shrugs.  
  
“He can and will kill you,” Tony grins apologetically.  
  
“Well, at least I know my son and grandson are safe even if I’m not.”  
  
“You’re really not,” Gibbs says, grin still firmly in place.  
  
“God, Gibbs, cut it out.”  
  
“It’s alright, Junior. I suppose it’s better to care too much than not enough.”  
  
There’s a tinge of regret there and he reaches out to shake Gibbs’ hand before pulling Tony into a hug.  
  
“I’ll see what my schedule is like for tomorrow and give you a call, alright?”  
  
“Sure thing, Dad.”  
  
They wave from the porch as Senior gets into the taxi and Gibbs wraps a possessive arm around Tony’s waist, keeping him close.  
  
“Think he’ll show?”  
  
“Not a chance in hell,” Tony smiles, “My dad has an allergy to normal family activities.”  
  
Gibbs leans up and kisses him.  
  
“I like our normal family activities.”  
  
Tony waggles his eyebrows, “I _love_ our normal family activities.”  
  
\---  
  
His father calls, his father writes, his father shows up uninvited for dinner one night.  
  
“Hey…Dad,”  
  
Senior bustles in with his usual charm, gripping Tony’s arms firmly.  
  
“Junior! I was just in the neighborhood and thought I’d drop by.”  
  
He takes Jaime from Tony and glances around.  
  
“Were you about to eat? I can go…”  
  
“No…no, it’s ok. I’m sure Gibbs made enough.”  
  
This seems to take a little wind out of Senior’s sails and Tony regards his father critically.  
  
“You’re not really ok with me and Gibbs, are you?”  
  
Senior shifts and glances away, “Not really, no.”  
  
“Is it just Gibbs or would it be any guy? Like…if I ended up with a handsome male doctor named Brad Pitt, but not that Brad Pitt, would you still have a problem with it?”  
  
They stare each other down for a second and Tony Sr. shakes his head.  
  
“Thought maybe it had been a phase you’d get over but…”  
  
He looks around at the house and bounces Jaime.  
  
“Seems like maybe I was wrong about that too.”  
  
“You thought it was a phase when you beat me black and blue for making out with Joey Campbell. I start shacking up with my boss and you thought…what? The phase came back?”  
  
“I knew it must’ve been hard with that girl leaving you with a child. I didn’t know what to think, Junior. You’ve never made much sense to me.”  
  
“Thanks, Dad.”  
  
Tony Sr. sighs and looks away, brow furrowing.  
  
“Can we put him down for a nap or something? I want to just…talk to you. If that’s alright?”  
  
This seems to deflate Tony’s anger a little and he gestures towards the playpen in the next room.  
  
“He’ll be fine in there for a bit. I’ll um…I’ll be right back.”  
  
Tony retreats into the kitchen, grabbing onto Gibbs from behind and pressing his face into his neck.  
  
“Hey,” Gibbs leans back into the embrace, “He staying for dinner?”  
  
With one wary eye Tony peeks at the counter where Gibbs is preparing food, not bothering to ask how Gibbs knew Tony’s father was here.  
  
“I have no idea.”  
  
“Well, there’ll be plenty for everybody if he does. Where’s the kid?”  
  
“Playpen.”  
  
“Alright. I’ll be in here if you need me.”  
  
Tony kisses his shoulder and Gibbs turns around in his arms, pulling him close again.  
  
“I love you so much,” Tony breathes.  
  
“Yeah? Good to know.”  
  
Tony pokes him in the side and Gibbs laughs.  
  
“I love you too, Tony. You’re gonna be ok.”  
  
When he pulls back Gibbs kisses him, the corner of his mouth turning up just barely.  
  
“Fathers, huh?”  
  
“Jack is a goddamned saint and you know it.”  
  
Gibbs laughs again and nods.  
  
“Think maybe I should call him and tell him I’m gay and have an adopted son?”  
  
“Jesus Christ, Jethro, tell me you’ve told him.”  
  
Gibbs grins in response and Tony pokes him again, pulling away completely.  
  
“I’m inviting him over for Thanksgiving. Just see if I don’t.”  
  
Gibbs' grin immediately falters.  
  
“Tony…”  
  
“Oh, no. Him, Abby, Ducky…”  
  
“You wouldn’t.”  
  
Tony gives him a shark grin and slips back into the living room.  
  
Tony Sr. is sitting awkwardly on the couch, fiddling with something in his hands, glancing around the space.  
  
“What’ve you got there?”  
  
He takes some small pleasure in watching his father startle. His dad holds the small box out to him.  
  
“I found it in a box of your mother’s things.”  
  
For a moment Tony just stands staring at it, as if it might bite him. He takes it gingerly, turning it over.  
  
His fingers shaking, he opens the box with trepidation.   
  
“Hey,” he breathes, “Christ, I…I thought all of this stuff got thrown out.”  
  
Tony Sr. rubs his hands together and nods.  
  
“Latanya squirreled some things away. Mostly keepsakes and photos. I haven’t been able to go through all of it yet but she seemed to think it would mean more if I gave it to you instead of her.”  
  
With a sad smile Tony flips over the Little League medal in his hands. The ribbon is long gone but the medal is intact.  
  
Tony Sr. hesitantly lays a hand on Tony’s shoulder.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he says, “I’m sorry for how I was to you.”  
  
“I know you drank…”  
  
“I can’t blame it on the booze or the women anymore, Tony. I was…less than a perfect father.”  
  
With a disgusted sigh, Tony Sr. looks away.  
  
“Hey, I have interesting stories to tell people about my childhood…”  
  
“Don’t kid about it, Junior,” Tony Sr. snaps, suddenly grabbing Tony’s hand.  
  
Tony can’t ever remember seeing his father cry but there are tears in his old man’s eyes now, threatening to spill over.  
  
“Dad…”  
  
“Just…give me a second alright?”  
  
He bounces Tony’s hand on his knee, squeezing it. Tony’s at a loss for words, watching his father try to hold himself together.  
  
“I didn’t do you any favors,” Tony Sr. finally says, voice thick, “I won’t make any excuses for how I was. You and I both know it would be a lie. But I’m sorry and I hope you can give your old dad a second chance. Let me see if I can’t do it right this time around.”   
  
For long seconds Tony is silent, mind not quite able to grasp what’s been said.  
  
“I…I uh…yeah. Yeah.”  
  
“Dinner!” Gibbs calls from the kitchen.  
  
They rise, standing quietly until Tony Sr. hesitantly leans forward, arms rising. He pulls back briefly and then finally pulls Tony into a hug, awkwardly patting him on the back. They both swipe at their eyes when they pull away, laughing at themselves.  
  
“You uh…go sit down, Gibbs made enough for everybody. I’ll go get the kid.”  
  
Tony Sr. stands to the side, watching Gibbs set the table.  
  
“So…” Senior says.  
  
“I’m an ex-marine sniper, been in NCIS for fifteen years, lost a wife and a kid, had three divorces after that and I don’t like it when the people I care about get hurt.”  
  
Gibbs plunks the pot of spaghetti down on the pot warmer and Tony Sr. startles slightly.  
  
“That a warning?”  
  
“You need it to be?”  
  
“Didn’t we have this conversation already?” Tony Sr. smirks, leaning back in his chair.  
  
“Stop threatening people, Jethro!” Tony calls from the hallway.  
  
“I wasn’t!”  
  
“Bull!” Tony snaps as he comes in with Jaime, “You and Rose, I swear…”  
  
Tony Sr. laughs at this, “She threatened me a few times before she’d let me in the car that night.”  
  
Tony rolls his eyes, “I’m enrolling you both in anger management classes.”  
  
Gibbs smirks as he sets Jaime up in his highchair.  
  
“Tried anger management once. Boss made me.”  
  
“What happened?” Tony Sr. asks, biting back a smile.  
  
“Got into a fist fight with the therapist.”  
  
Tony buries his head in his hands.  
  
“This is the example you’re setting for our son. I just hope you realize that.”  
  
\---  
  
Tony Sr. is very full of life; it’s something Tony had forgotten about him. Everywhere he went it always seemed like the room was a little too small to contain him. He bustles in to their house, laughing about something with Rose and Jaime wobbles to his feet, toddling over with arms outstretched.  
  
He swings Jaime up in the air before pulling him close and planting a kiss on his chubby cheek. Tony and Gibbs glance at each other, startled by the similarity to Tony’s own signature ‘Dad move’. It dredges up old feelings and faint memories of a time before it all got really bad. The person Tony Sr. had been that had made Tony seek his approval so desperately. Tony walks over and gives his dad a one armed hug, planting a kiss in Jaime’s hair.  
  
“You guys behave.”  
  
“Me? I’m the picture of innocence. This little trouble-maker, though, we’re going to have to keep an eye on him. Rose, are you ready?”  
  
“Yeah, Uncle Tony, let’s go.”  
  
“Are you sure you don’t want to come, Junior?”  
  
“They need a little breathing room, they can come next time,” Rose insists, pushing him along.  
  
“Hey, hey! No man-handling your Uncle Tony, I’m an old, old man.”  
  
Rose gives him another push and raises an eyebrow.  
  
“You keep saying things like that and then insisting to me that you’re not so old as you try to help me with things you’re obviously too old to do.”  
  
“Disgraceful, absolutely disgraceful the way you kids talk to your elders.”  
  
Tony waves them off, feeling Gibbs pressing close to his side in the doorway.  
  
“I’d give you a penny for your thoughts but I know I can get ‘em for free,” Gibbs smirks.  
  
Tony glares at him half-heartedly, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
  
“Just thinking maybe some of the good stuff about my dad rubbed off on me a little. That maybe, with your guidance of course, I could turn out to be an ok father.”  
  
“It’s hard work but I try to keep you in line.”  
  
He shuts the door and puts his hands on Gibbs’ neck, trailing his thumbs along his jaw line.  
  
“Have I told you lately how much I love you? How glad I am I have you in my life like this?”  
  
Gibbs’ gaze falls away to the floor and he scratches the back of his head with a small smile. It makes Tony grin, knowing he can tie up Gibbs’ tongue like that.  
  
“You wanna make-out on the couch like teenagers?” Tony grins wildly.  
  
“What do you think?”  
  
Tony hauls him close, kissing him and spinning them around. Gibbs gives a breathless laugh as they spin, clinging to Tony’s arms.  
  
“Think that’s the first time I’ve ever been swept off my feet.”  
  
With a wolfish grin, Tony dips him back and kisses him again.  
  
“That a first too?”  
  
He scrunches up his face in thought and then nods, “Yep.”  
  
Tony rights them both before pushing Gibbs onto the couch.  
  
“Well, I hope you’ve at least made out on the couch before.”  
  
“Old hat,” Gibbs grins.


	10. Carnival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony grunts as he’s pulled into a tight hug and thumped solidly on the back.  
  
“Hi, Frank,” he wheezes.  
  
“Where the hell’s my grandkid?”  
  
“In the playpen,” Tony gasps in a lungful of air as he's released, gesturing to the corner.  
  
Colleen watches on with amusement as Frank strides over and plucks Jaime out of the playpen, giving Tony an apologetic shrug.  
  
“How are you sweetheart?”  
  
“I’m ok, Colleen. Any luck?”  
  
She shakes her head sadly and pulls him into a gentle hug, smoothing his hair.  
  
“Where’s Jethro?”  
  
“He’s around somewhere…he’s uh…he’s not really much for um…”  
  
“Small talk?”  
  
“Or large talk,” Tony grins, “He’s a man of few words but he’s a good man.”  
  
Frank bounces Jaime, making the baby laugh riotously and Tony smiles at them.  
  
“I’m glad you came,” Tony says softly.  
  
“We’re more than happy to come and thank you for letting us,” Colleen smiles.  
  
“So where’s this boyfriend of yours?” Frank booms, obviously hinting his displeasure, “Haven’t had the pleasure of making his acquaintance yet.”  
  
“Geez, he always that loud?” Gibbs grumbles as he trots down the stairs, rubbing a finger at one eardrum.  
  
“Only sometimes,” Colleen laughs, “Maybe we can get in a proper introduction this time? You seem to be better dressed for the occasion than when we last met.”  
  
Gibbs looks faintly embarrassed but holds out a hand, “I’m Gibbs.”  
  
“He tends to go by his last name,” Tony explains at Colleen’s confusion.  
  
“Gibbs, I’m Colleen and this is Frank.”  
  
Frank shakes Gibbs’ hand heartily, nearly knocking Gibbs off balance.  
  
“So we gonna stand around here all day or are we gonna head out and have some fun?” Frank demands.  
  
With a quick look around, Tony pats his pockets, checking for his wallet, keys and phone.  
  
“Let’s get a move on,” he says with his most charming grin.  
  
The small carnival is full of prize booths with cheap toys and rickety rides with blown out bulbs. Rose meets them at the entrance, her new baby strapped to her front, her husband holding on to their second and third youngest and the oldest two clinging to their father’s legs.  
  
“Hey, Rose,” Tony grins, waving.  
  
“Hey, Jerk, we’ve been waiting for fifteen minutes.”  
  
“Sorry,” Tony shrugs.   
  
“Whatever,” Rose rolls her eyes, “introductions?”  
  
“Rose this is Colleen and Frank, Colleen and Frank…” Tony takes a deep breath, “This is Rose, Bobby, Bitty Bobby, Shea, Nadia, Ricky, Tammy and baby Duncan.”  
  
Ricky and Tammy, the two oldest, reach for Jaime, eyeing Colleen and Frank with suspicion.  
  
“Who are you?” Ricky says as he helps Tammy heft Jaime into her arms.  
  
“We’re Jaime’s grandparents,” Colleen says kindly, amused by their distrust.  
  
“We’re his cousins,” Tammy frowns.  
  
“I’m his father,” Tony grumbles, taking his son back as Tammy struggles with him.  
  
Colleen ends up taking Jaime on most of the rides but Tony insists on squeezing himself on to the tiny, kiddie roller coaster, laughing as they’re gently spun around a sloping track. Gibbs and Frank piss off one of the vendors by continuously winning at the BB gun range while simultaneously making themselves heroes to the kids when they let them pick out prizes to keep. Bitty Bobby, about four, decides Frank is his favorite person and refuses to let the man put him down. Rose and Bobby end up on the ferris wheel together, kissing and cuddling - Tony making kissy faces at them every time their carriage dips down to ground level until Gibbs head slaps him. Tony and Gibbs go on the roller coaster twice, Tony laughing raucously and gripping Gibbs’ hand tight as they’re flung against each other. Everyone eats too much popcorn and cotton candy and Tony gets a glimpse of the nightmare that will be ‘sugar rushes’ as he tries to help Rose corral her brood.  
  
As the sun sets and the blinking bulbs cast everything into magical light, they all bump into each other tiredly, shuffling off to their cars to head to their warm homes.  
  
“One kid,” Tony groans, slumping down in the passenger seat, “One kid is definitely enough.”


	11. Holidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony paces nervously in the den, casting anxious glances at the door as he clutches the phone to his ear.  
  


_“Hello?”_

  
  
“Hi! Jack, it’s um…it’s Tony.”  
  


_“Tony! How are you, son?”_

  
  
“I’m good, Jack, thanks. Look um…this…this uh…I have something to tell you and Gibbs is going to kill me but…”  
  


_“This about you two shacking up?”_

  
  
Tony blinks and frowns, “He told you?”  
  


_“A while ago now.”_

  
  
“And um…”  
  


  
_“I’m fine with it,”_ Jack chuckles.

  
  
With a small sigh of relief Tony collapses onto an armchair.  
  
“Ok, but he’s still going to kill me,” Tony grins.  
  


_“How come?”_

  
  
“Because I’m insisting you come over for Christmas.”  
  
He can almost _see_ Jack grinning on the other end and it makes him grin ridiculously in return.  
  


_“Gonna let me get some time with that kid of yours?”_

  
  
“Well, he needs a little normalcy in his life. God knows he’s not getting it from me and Gibbs.”  
  
There’s a small stretch of silence on the other end and for a second Tony worries he’s pushed it too far until Jack chuckles.  
  


_“I’d love to come over, Tony. You just let me know the details once my idiot son is done blowing a gasket.”_

  
  
“Ok, Jack. Take care.”  
  


_“You too.”_

  
  
Tony hangs up and sags into the cushions, pondering on what is sure to be the rest of his very brief existence.  
  
“I am so dead.”  
  
Gibbs is in the kitchen with Jaime on his hip, stirring something that smells better than it probably should.  
  
“My God is that real food?” Tony grins.  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“Not frozen or prepackaged?”  
  
“Nope.”  
  
“What’s the special occasion?”  
  
“Felt like cooking,” Gibbs shrugs, bouncing Jaime a little.  
  
Despite having seen it before, seeing Gibbs like this is still a novel experience for Tony.  
  
“God, this is _so_ domestic. I could post pictures of this all over the internet and nobody would believe me.”  
  
With a raised eyebrow Gibbs leans back against the counter, Jaime burbling and chewing on a teething ring in his arms and Tony _has_ to kiss the man. When he pulls back he presses their foreheads together, thumbs stroking Gibbs’ cheeks.  
  
“Domestic, huh?” Gibbs chuckles.  
  
“Who knew it would be such a turn on,” Tony grins.  
  
Tony wraps an arm around Gibbs’ shoulders and presses their sides together.  
  
“So, you’re going to kill me,” Tony observes calmly.  
  
“Yeah? How come?”  
  
“I invited our fathers over for the holidays.”  
  
Gibbs sighs and presses his temple to Tony’s cheek.  
  
“It April already? Because I know that has to be a joke.”  
  
Tony grimaces, “No. I just called him and uh…you told him about us?”  
  
“Of course I did, Tony,” Gibbs snaps, a little softer than usual.  
  
“Well, how would I know?” Tony grumbles, “I don’t expect you to turn into a _girl_ , Gibbs, but you could give me a heads up once in a while, you know?”  
  
Gibbs snorts and wraps an arm around Tony’s waist.  
  
“I called Jack and told him about us.”  
  
“Really?” Tony grins, overly bright, “How did he take it?”  
  
“About had a heart attack but he handled it better than I thought he would.”  
  
Tony raises an eyebrow and Gibbs rolls his eyes.  
  
“He…” Gibbs waves his hand behind Tony’s back in a meaningless gesture, “He said he was glad I’d found someone and he hoped it worked out for my sake. Let me ramble on about the kid for a while.”  
  
“He seemed kind of excited about seeing Jaime.”  
  
“Yeah…” Gibbs frowns a little, looking at Jaime.  
  
“What?”  
  
Gibbs shakes his head and then gives Tony a searching look, trying not to look too hopeful.  
  
“I just…nothing it’s…”  
  
For a moment Tony puzzles over Gibbs reluctance and then nods as the pieces click into place.  
  
“Hey, kiddo,” he grins, “You’re going to get to see your Grandpa Jack in a few weeks. He’s a really great guy, you’re gonna love him.”  
  
“Yeah, that,” Gibbs exhales.  
  
Tony places a kiss in Gibbs’ hair with a stupidly sappy smile on his face.  
  
“You’re family. You’re more family than my own flesh and blood, with the exception of the kid here. Of course I want Jack included in that.”  
  
Gibbs nods and kisses Jaime’s cheek, carefully not looking at Tony.  
  
“Speaking of family…” he says after he’s collected himself a little.  
  
“Oh, God,” Tony groans, “I invited him too, so don’t start.”  
  
Gibbs holds up one hand in placation and turns to stir the pot on the stove.  
  
“Is he gonna show?”  
  
“Your guess is as good as mine. Just because he’s deigned to call me more often doesn’t mean he’s actually going to miss scamming a holiday in Maui.”  
  
Gibbs tilts his head in agreement, shrugging one shoulder.  
  
“Set the table?”  
  
Tony opens the cabinets and grabs some plates.  
  
“The way I see it, Gibbs, Jaime’s got Colleen and Frank and Jack. That’s plenty of grandparents, right?”  
  
“One more couldn’t hurt.”  
  
Tony snorts, “I guess. I just…I don’t want Jaime to get let down the way I did. I don’t want my dad making promises he can’t keep or just…disappearing or not showing up or…you know…basically, being himself.”  
  
Gibbs huffs out a laugh as he puts Jaime in the high chair.  
  
“I’m not saying he deserves a chance, Tony.”  
  
“So what are you saying,” Tony shoots back, pouring them some water and handing Jaime his sippy cup.  
  
“I’m _saying_ ,” Gibbs grumbles, “that he’s been around. Maybe not a lot but at least he’s been trying. That’s gotta count for something.”  
  
“I guess,” Tony sighs, leaning back in his chair as Gibbs brings the stew over.  
  
His eyes get wide when Gibbs pulls the rolls out of the oven.  
  
“You _baked_?” Tony asks disbelievingly.  
  
“Not from _scratch_ ,” Gibbs shakes his head with a smirk, “you know those rolls in a can? You just pop ‘em on the baking sheet and…you got rolls.”  
  
Tony snags two with a grin and gets up to grab the butter from the fridge.  
  
“It smells really good.”  
  
“Yeah…” Gibbs waves a hand to brush off the compliment, a pleased smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
  
Tony mashes up Jaime’s stew into mush, making faces as he tries to get Jaime to take a bite.  
  
“You’re making faces again,” Gibbs smirks.  
  
“No I’m not…” Tony shakes his head, making an even goofier face.  
  
“Ok,” Gibbs chuckles, tucking back into his own food.  
  
\--  
  
They’re kicked back on the couch, admiring their handiwork. It’s nothing fancy, some garlands and lights, a simple tree. Tony thinks it’s really beautiful but he bites his tongue and leans into Gibbs instead of saying so, tucking into the other man’s side. Gibbs wraps his arm around Tony’s shoulders and places a soft kiss in his hair, inhaling his scent.  
  
“Think we should invite Abby over Christmas?”  
  
“Think she’d kill us if we didn’t,” Gibbs chuckles, pulling Tony just a little closer.  
  
“Yeah, I know she’d love to see Jack, too.”  
  
“Mmm…”  
  
“Oh, what?” Tony grins, looking up, “Just admit that Jack is a great guy.”  
  
Gibbs very nearly makes a comment about Tony not having to grow up with the man but stops himself at the last second. Tony would have gladly taken Jack over Tony Sr. any day of the week and to be honest so would Gibbs.  
  
“You inviting Frank and Colleen?”  
  
“Subject changer,” Tony accuses, “I told them to stop by if they wanted and they said they might. They’re visiting with their son in Maryland so they’re not far.”  
  
“Son?”  
  
“Yeah. Olyvia’s half brother, Elliot. Frank has three kids from his first marriage too, twin girls and a boy.”  
  
“Nice to know.”  
  
Tony peers up at him, “Sorry, it was kind of…you know. Anything to do with Olyvia.”  
  
“So these aunts and uncles…they don’t wanna see Jaime?”  
  
“I think they do, actually…I just…God, Gibbs, it’s weird. I want to just let Colleen take him for a weekend, let them visit, but I always have this…”  
  
“Fear?” Gibbs guesses with an understanding smile.  
  
“Yes. I’ve got to be the biggest asshole in the world because this is _Colleen_. She’s June Cleaver incarnate. She would never hurt Jaime and I still can’t…”  
  
“It’s normal, Tony. He’s your son, you’re going to worry about him whether you want to or not.”  
  
Tony sighs, “Does it get any easier?”  
  
“Nope.”  
  
“ _Thanks_.”  
  
Gibbs shrugs, “You’d rather I lied?”  
  
“Once in a while?”  
  
With a snort, Gibbs pushes Tony back onto the couch, settling between his legs and leaning down for a kiss.  
  
“I accept your ham-fisted attempt to distract me from worrying,” Tony smirks, eyes filled with lust and mild reproach.  
  
Gibbs thrusts down against him, nipping at the flesh under Tony’s ear.  
  
“Good,” he grunts.  
  
He’ll never get tired of these moments where he’s got Tony writhing under him, making ridiculously hot noises that only serve to spur him on. Tony reaches under the cushions and produces some lube, placing it in Gibbs’ hand.  
  
“I’d say something sexy like I want you in me, but honestly I’m too nervous.”   
  
“We don’t have to…”  
  
“I want to,” Tony insists, “God, I want to just…”  
  
Gibbs kisses him, claiming his mouth as they struggle to undress without breaking contact.  
  
He kisses his way down Tony’s chest and stomach, Tony’s erection sliding easily into his palm.  
  
“It feels good,” Gibbs assures him.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
Gibbs nods, breath coming in hot exhalations against Tony’s skin.  
  
“Describe it to me, tell me what it’s like,” Tony begs, thrusting up into Gibbs’ hand.  
  
“Be easier to show you.”  
  
“Please?”  
  
The pleading tone overrides Gibbs’ discomfort and he speaks between kisses and bites.  
  
“It’s a stretch…then a burn, like after a good work-out. Tight.”  
  
“Hurts?”  
  
“No…wouldn’t hurt you,” Gibbs assures him, kissing him, “Never hurt you.”  
  
“What then?”  
  
“It’s…”  
  
Gibbs looks down into Tony’s eyes.  
  
“It’s like having somebody’s dick up your ass. I can’t…It feels full and hard and…good. Really fucking good.”  
  
He slicks up his fingers and rubs at Tony’s hole, seeking permission and Tony nods - spreading his legs wider. Gibbs works one finger in and waits.   
  
“A stretch.”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony rasps, eyes hazy and far away as he clutches Gibbs’ shoulders.  
  
Gibbs moves the finger in and out, adding more lube as he presses in a second digit.  
  
“A burn.”  
  
“A little.”  
  
A third finger makes Tony squirm.  
  
“A lot,” Tony grunts.  
  
Gibbs kisses his chest and twists his fingers a little.  
  
“Give it a minute,” Gibbs says soothingly.  
  
Tony nods, brow furrowing as his body adjusts. He carefully lifts one leg up onto the back of the couch, tilting his hips a little to give Gibbs better access.  
  
“Move.”  
  
With a lusty smirk, Gibbs begins thrusting his fingers in and out of Tony’s body. He revels in watching Tony squirm under his touch, the soft moans he can pull from Tony’s mouth, the way Tony’s fingers on Gibbs’ shoulders squeeze and release over and over with each wave of sensation, his body rocking gently with the motion of Gibbs’ fingers inside of him. Gibbs leans down to taste the fine sheen of sweat that’s sprung up on Tony’s skin, to lap at a nipple.  
  
Tony whines a little, flushing faintly as the noise reaches his own ears.  
  
“Good?”  
  
“Yes,” Tony nods, another needy noise dragging past his lips.  
  
“You want more?”  
  
“ _Yes_ ,” Tony gasps, lifting his legs and watching Gibbs expectantly.  
  
The sight is impossibly hot, Tony stretched and ready for him, practically begging him for it. Gibbs traces Tony’s hole with a slick finger, watching Tony shudder from the sensation.  
  
“Please…God, Jethro…”  
  
Gibbs leans over him, lining up and grabbing onto Tony’s thighs to help ease the strain. He pushes in slow, watching Tony’s face scrunch up slightly with discomfort.  
  
“Ok?”  
  
“Yeah…a little tight.”  
  
“Very tight,” Gibbs groans, “Feels good.”  
  
“You like my virgin ass?” Tony laughs breathily.  
  
“Oh, yeah,” Gibbs groans.  
  
The first thrust is agonizingly slow, Tony’s body clenching and relaxing with each new sensation, testing Gibbs’ control.  
  
“Can I…?” Gibbs pants.  
  
“Yeah…yes, do it,” Tony nods, moving into the next thrust.  
  
Gibbs builds a rhythm, trying not to focus too hard on the noises Tony’s making or how amazing the other man’s body feels beneath his.   
  
He keeps the pace slow and easy, doing the best he can to even out his breath, adding more lube than they probably need to keep it smooth and pain free for Tony. When he feels like Tony is relaxed and loose he reaches a slick hand down and starts pumping Tony’s dick, quickening the rhythm of his thrusts into the other man’s body.  
  
“God…Oh, God…” Tony groans, hands roaming up Gibbs’ shoulders to his face.  
  
“Come on,” Gibbs pants.  
  
He shortens his thrusts, drilling Tony’s prostate mercilessly, smiling at Tony’s punctuated, mewling gasps. Tony comes in spurts all over Gibbs’ hand and his own stomach, back arching and head thrown back against the cushions.  
  
Gibbs grasps Tony’s thighs, pounding into him with wild abandon until his own orgasm overtakes him, tearing a long, shaky moan past his teeth. He collapses, their bodies trembling in the aftermath, Tony’s thighs straining against his weight.  
  
“Wow,” Tony breathes, “Uh…let’s do that again when my brain isn’t…you know…mush.”  
  
With a soft chuckle Gibbs pulls out, falling back against the other end of the couch, sprawling out as their limbs tangle and their sweat-slick skin cools.  
  
“Damn.”  
  
“Oh, yeah,” Tony laughs.  
  
Gibbs is running a hand up and down Tony’s calf, contemplating a round two – how long it will take him to get it up again, how long it will take Tony, should they drink some juice or something? – when he hears Tony softly call his name.  
  
“Gibbs…Jethro,” Tony amends.  
  
The look in Tony’s eyes is uncertain and a little painful, Gibbs frowns at it and sits up with a grunt, laying himself on top of Tony and ignoring the sticky mess between them. He kisses Tony, close-mouthed and tender before stealing his breath and drawing out his tongue. He reaches down and fumbles for Tony’s hand, lacing their fingers together before pulling back and looking down into Tony’s eyes.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Tony nods, pressing his lips together, eyes watery.  
  
“I love you too, Gibbs.”  
  
“You ok?”  
  
Tony’s head thuds back against the cushions and he lets out a frustrated groan.  
  
“I am such a girl.”  
  
Gibbs snorts and frowns.  
  
“Any particular reason you seem to think you’ve grown a vagina?”  
  
“Because I’m about to cry all over you?”  
  
“Because…?”  
  
With a loud sigh, Tony peers at Gibbs.  
  
“Because I just gave you my…my gay virginity or whatever. And I love you and you’re my baby daddy and we…we have a home, Gibbs. I have a real home,” Tony chokes up a little, looking around at the decorations, “and a real family for the first time in my life.”  
  
That sends a surge of warmth into Gibbs’ heart and he smiles.  
  
“A real family, huh?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“You wanna cry a couple of happy tears I won’t give you shit for it later.”  
  
Tony gives a half laugh-half sob and a few tears squeeze out despite his efforts to keep them in.  
  
“You promise?”  
  
Gibbs kisses him sweetly and holds him tighter.  
  
“Yeah, lover boy, I promise.”  
  
\--  
  
“I think this is the honeymoon period I’ve so often heard about,” Tony grins, unbuttoning Gibbs’ shirt with clumsy enthusiasm.  
  
“Aren’t we supposed to get married first?”  
  
“Unless you want to move to Massachusetts or Iowa or wherever, I’m thinking we’ll have to skip that part.”  
  
That makes Gibbs pause briefly and frown but he doesn’t say anything. He knows his track record with marriage and maybe if they just keep on the way they are it’ll be better than the other times. Maybe it’ll be more like the first time.  
  
Tony pokes his forehead and Gibbs growls a little.  
  
“Less thinking more sexing,” Tony commands.  
  
“You got any preferences today, _Boss_?”  
  
Tony hauls Gibbs close, quick and hard, snarling in his ear.  
  
“I want you to fuck my brains right out of my goddamned skull.”  
  
When Gibbs can draw in a breath, can even think to speak or move he manages a weak chuckle.  
  
“You want me to skull fuck you?”  
  
Then Tony’s kissing him fiercely and dropping to his knees, mouthing Gibbs’ crotch through his work slacks and squeezing Gibbs’ thighs compulsively. His brain melts when Tony draws him out and takes his length into his mouth, swirling his tongue over the head and taking Gibbs in as deep he can.  
  
“Where’s the lube?” Tony demands huskily after several minutes of sucking.  
  
Gibbs fumbles with his wallet, dropping two foil packets on Tony’s head and laughing when the other man glares up at him. But his head falls back as Tony begins sucking him in earnest, trailing two fingers down to prepare himself.  
  
Watching Tony fucking himself on his own fingers, watching his head bobbing on Gibbs’ dick is almost too much.  
  
“You want me inside you…” Gibbs gasps, “You’re gonna have to pull off.”  
  
Tony releases him with a slurp, licking his lips and looking up at Gibbs through his lashes.  
  
“Put some cushions down for your knees.”  
  
Gibbs grabs some cushions from the den couch and tosses them on the floor artlessly, hastily arranging them as he kicks out of his pants and strips with efficiency. Tony strips in record time, positioning himself on hands and knees, reaching back to continue fingering himself as he waits for Gibbs.  
  
For a minute all Gibbs can do is watch Tony, practically curled in on himself as he fucks himself on his own hand, _the hot little noises_ he makes and then Gibbs dives for the other foil packet, slicking himself up sloppily. He pokes at Tony’s hand unceremoniously with his dick and slides into him easily when those fingers are finally out of the way.   
  
Tony’s still fairly loose from the night before, body easily accommodating Gibbs girth and he groans long and loud as Gibbs bottoms out.  
  
Gibbs can only be glad Rose hit traffic on her way to drop Jaime off today. At least thirty minutes, she’d said, maybe more.  
  
Gibbs wasn’t sure he’d last ten.  
  
His thrusts are powerful and fast, slamming into Tony as the other man scrabbles for purchase before finally just letting Gibbs pound into him, crying out softly every time Gibbs hits his prostate.  
  
At first the noise doesn’t register. The front door swings open and the floorboards creak. The steady thump of a cane finally brings Gibbs out of his lust-induced haze and he pulls carefully out of Tony as he hears his name called.  
  
“Leroy?”  
  
He slams into the door just as it cracks open and Jack curses.  
  
“What the hell?”  
  
“I’ll be out in a minute, Dad. Why don’t you go get something to drink in the kitchen?”  
  
Jack grumbles something and Gibbs locks the door, laughing hard at Tony’s look of horrified amusement.  
  
“Oh, God, your dad almost just…”  
  
“Shut up and keep that ass in the air,” Gibbs orders through a stupid grin.  
  
It takes him a minute to get back into his headspace, to forget that his father is sitting two rooms away probably more than aware of what’s going on in here but Tony is still a sight with his well-shaped ass eagerly waiting for him to fill it.  
  
He slides in easily again, reaching around to make quick work of Tony, careful to catch the spilled seed in his hand. He licks his palm clean and Tony groans, watching him over his shoulder. Tony clenches hard and Gibbs’ head falls back. When Tony releases him he only gets in a few more thrusts before he comes.  
  
They pull apart, getting dressed and then sneaking upstairs with hushed laughter and stolen kisses to clean up and change their clothes.  
  
“…time to face the music,” Tony grimaces, shifting nervously.  
  
“We could always hide up here for a while,” Gibbs smirks, kissing him again.  
  
Tony pokes him, “That would be rude and I am nothing if not a gracious host.”  
  
Gibbs watches Tony march into the kitchen like a man headed to his execution. He’s still smiling way too much and Jack is sure to cast him at least one fondly annoyed look before he can manage to rein it in but he doesn’t care.  
  
“Uh…” Tony grins bashfully, rubbing his neck, “hey, Jack.”  
  
Jack takes one look at them and starts laughing.  
  
“Lord,” Jack chuckles, shaking his head, “I’m an open-minded man but I don’t much want to think about you two going at it like jack rabbits.”  
  
“We’ll spare you the details,” Gibbs says dryly.  
  
“I thank you for that,” Jack snorts.  
  
“How um…how was your trip?”  
  
“Fine, fine,” Jack smiles at Tony, “don’t make me sit here by myself, son, come on.”  
  
Jack gestures at the chair next to him with a smile and Tony tries not to blush too hard as he lowers himself into it gingerly.  
  
“How are you?” Jack asks fondly.  
  
“I’m fine, thanks,” Tony says bashfully.  
  
“Don’t remember you being this shy last time I saw you.”  
  
Tony ducks his head, grinning widely, “Last time I saw you I wasn’t um…‘shacking up’ with your son.”  
  
Jack laughs at that, shaking his head, “Well, no need to be shy on account of that.”  
  
The smell of coffee wafts over them and Tony rolls his eyes.  
  
“Did he always drink coffee like water?” he asks, jerking his thumb at where Gibbs is standing by the counter.  
  
“Hated the stuff when he was a kid. Don’t know when that changed to be honest.”  
  
“Marines,” Gibbs and Tony say at the same time.  
  
Tony smirks at him and Gibbs glares half-heartedly.  
  
Rose bustles in shaking rain from her hair, obviously frazzled.  
  
“Tony!”  
  
“In here Rose!”  
  
She drops Jaime, his baby bag and another large bag onto Tony, flicking him hard in the forehead.  
  
“Ow! What was that for?”  
  
“Making me come all the way in here!”  
  
“Hey,” Gibbs grunts, holding up a cup of coffee made the way she likes it.  
  
“Ooo…coffee,” she purrs at him, taking the cup, “I have to um…kids are in the van.”  
  
“Take it with you,” he shrugs, kissing her cheek.  
  
“I love your sort-of-husband, Tony,” she grins, sipping from the mug.  
  
“Uh…well, meet my sort-of-husband’s father. Jack this is my cousin Rose, Rose this is Jack.”  
  
She turns and blinks.  
  
“Oh. Hi! Sorry, I was stuck in traffic and…” she waves a hand and rolls her eyes, wagging her head back and forth as if that explains her behavior.   
  
They shake hands and Jack smiles at her charmingly, “Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you. Are you going to be here for Christmas?”  
  
“Oh, no,” she says apologetically, “No, I’m going to see my parents in Connecticut. But I’ll be stopping by on Christmas Eve.”  
  
“I look forward to seeing you then.”  
  
Rose kisses Tony’s forehead and points a threatening finger at him, “I am not your maid service. Those are Jaime’s dirty clothes. _Wash them_.”  
  
“Yes, ma’am,” Tony salutes.  
  
“Bye Gibbs!” she waves not looking back, sipping as she goes.  
  
“Bye bye.”  
  
Jack watches her go and nods after her, smiling at Tony.  
  
“She always like that?”  
  
“Always,” Tony grins, nodding thankfully at Gibbs when he takes Jaime.  
  
“So this is Jaime, huh?” Jack’s smile widens as Gibbs hands him over.  
  
“The one and only.”  
  
Jaime grabs at Jack’s nose, squeezing it hard.  
  
“He’s got a hell of a grip.”  
  
Gibbs turns away and Tony watches him struggle with a sad smile as he pours them all coffee. He wonders if seeing Jack with Jaime reminds Gibbs of Kelly but decides not to think about it too hard.  
  
“I’m gonna go take care of this laundry, don’t have too much fun without me,” Tony says dryly.  
  
“Damn cute kid,” Jack laughs as Jaime bounces and giggles.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs agrees, taking up Tony’s seat, “you know um…”  
  
“Yeah, son?”  
  
“Tony he uh…he wants Jaime to call you Grandpa. Or Grandad or…whatever.”  
  
This makes Jack tear up a little.  
  
“It’s that serious, huh?”  
  
Gibbs nods, “Yeah, Dad. It’s that serious.”  
  
Jack reaches out and pats Gibbs’ hand.  
  
“I’m glad,” he says thickly, “Damn son but I’m glad.”  
  
“Thanks, Dad.”  
  
Jack nods and struggles to his feet.  
  
“Show me where I’m bunking down.”  
  
Gibbs clears his throat.  
  
“Uh, we have to set up the cot. You’ll be in the den.”  
  
Jack’s eyebrow raises as Jaime tugs at his shirt collar.  
  
“The den I almost caught you two…”  
  
“Yeah, Dad, that den.”  
  
The sharp, loud burst of laughter startles Gibbs but he chuckles too, shaking his head.  
  
“Just don’t let me catch you christening the kitchen table,” Jack warns jokingly.  
  
Somehow, Gibbs manages not to blush at that.  
  
“Junior?”  
  
“Oh, God…” Gibbs groans.  
  
“Who’s that son?”  
  
“In here, Senior!”  
  
Tony Sr. walks in and frowns faintly at Jack.  
  
“Hello…” Tony Sr. draws out, casting Gibbs a questioning look.  
  
“Jack this is Tony’s dad, Senior, Senior this is my father, Jack.”  
  
With a soft snort, Jack casts a sideways look at his son.  
  
“This is the son-of-a-bitch, then?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
Tony Sr. glares at Gibbs a little and then turns his charm on for Jack, “I’m afraid I’m at a disadvantage, Tony’s never spoken of you.”  
  
Jack scoffs, “Can’t say I’m surprised by that.”  
  
“Meaning…?”  
  
Gibbs reaches over and squeezes Jack’s elbow.  
  
“You two are going to be bunking down in the den. Got two cots and the fireplace. Try not to kill each other.”  
  
“I assume you want that pleasure for yourself,” Tony Sr. grins sharply.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs bites out, “Ya think, Mr. DiNozzo?”  
  
Tony clears his throat loudly from the doorway.  
  
“Ground rules,” he barks, “there will be no fighting, killing or excessive cursing. Drama is right out. I will personally maim whoever breaks these rules.”  
  
He stalks over and plucks Jaime out of Jack’s arms, holding him up.  
  
“This is about him. His first Christmas _sucked_. It involved his mother leaving him alone in a freezing cold house by himself. I figure,” he hardens his tone further, “he deserves a better Christmas this time around. Anybody got a problem with that?”  
  
Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
“Course not, son,” Jack says softly.  
  
Tony Sr. spares Jack a small glare for calling _his_ son, “son” but shakes his head as well.  
  
“Good,” Tony growls, “I set up your cots if you want to put your stuff away.”  
  
With a sigh, Tony pulls his father aside as Gibbs takes Jack’s suitcase and leads his father off.  
  
“Thanks for coming, Dad.”  
  
Tony Sr. grins brightly and hugs Tony.  
  
“Thanks for inviting me, Junior.”  
  
“I uh…can’t remember the last Christmas we spent together.”  
  
An awkward silence descends and Senior winces a little.  
  
“I think it must have been before your mother passed away. I…I brought some pictures and things,” Senior gestures at his bag, “Thought we might look through them together.”  
  
“I’d like that,” Tony smiles, feeling a little watery, “Let’s uh…let’s get you situated.”  
  
Aside from Jack and Senior glaring at each other when they think Tony’s not looking things are relatively quiet until Christmas Eve when Rose shows up with her small tribe.  
  
“Uncle Tony!” she exclaims.  
  
“Hello, Rose,” he laughs.  
  
“You…you’re not in Maui or…?”  
  
“No, no…good old fashioned family Christmas, right Junior?”  
  
The children tromp in with presents, everyone shaking snow from their coats and stomping their feet on the doormat. Tony makes everyone hot cocoa and grins like an idiot at Gibbs whenever he thinks the other man is getting overwhelmed by it all.  
  
Colleen and Frank show up with their son, Elliot and his two kids. Everything is chaotic and bright, the lights and the smells of cocoa and cookies filling the space as much as the laughter and chatter. Gibbs takes Frank and Elliot downstairs to show them the boat but has the sense not to linger too long. Colleen hands out crackers and the children shout and laugh as they pop. Jack gives Gibbs a box of old ornaments that Gibbs looks at with a soft smile, lost in reminiscence until finally putting them on the tree. Senior gives Tony a couple of photos of his mother that he puts on the mantle. Rose takes a thousand pictures and arranges all of the kids on the floor to open some presents. The bright flutter and crinkle of wrapping paper drifting into piles in mimicry of the snow drifts outside gives the room a slightly magical quality. When Abby finally pops in, nose cold and red as she explains through chattering teeth that things ran late at the soup kitchen at her church, only one or two people stare at her strange attire. Rose demands kisses and fusses over getting Abby warmed up, insisting that Bobby fix the heater in Abby’s car as soon as possible. The children play with their new toys and the adults sip egg nog spiked with rum and Tony…  
  
Tony couldn’t be happier.   
  
That night, with Abby crashed on their couch after having too much rum in her egg nog, Jaime tucked safely into his crib and their fathers begrudgingly sharing space downstairs, Gibbs and Tony collapse into their own bed.  
  
Tony holds Gibbs close and kisses him and kisses him. He kisses him until their limbs are heavy with sleep and they can’t hold their heads up any longer. Gibbs rolls over onto Tony with a grunt, presses his face into Tony’s neck and Tony falls asleep listening to his soft snores with a small smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.  
  
He considers writing Santa a thank you letter because he definitely got everything he wanted for Christmas.


	12. Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Gibbs opens the door and staggers back a step, eyes going wide.  
  
“Um…hello. You…it’s Gibbs, isn’t it? Is Tony here?”  
  
“Uh…yeah, he…what….”  
  
“Gibbs?” Tony calls, “Who is it?”  
  
Gibbs can’t get his vocal cords to work properly so he just stands aside. Tony nearly drops his coffee cup as he exits the kitchen.  
  
“Olyvia?”  
  
“Hi…” she winces, “Um…”  
  
“What…where the _hell_ did you go?”  
  
She backs up towards the door but Gibbs blocks her from running.  
  
“Why don’t you sit down,” he says firmly.  
  
“Ok,” she nods.  
  
Tony looks equal parts livid, relieved and scared shitless.  
  
“Tony… _Tony_ ,” Gibbs says, using his best 'boss' voice, “Go finish your coffee. Take a minute.”  
  
For a second Tony looks like he might argue but only nods and turns tail.  
  
Olyvia’s wringing her hands but otherwise she looks healthy. A little skinnier than the last time he saw her but then again the last time he saw her was in the delivery room.  
  
“Why did you come back?”  
  
She looks up at him with wide, frightened eyes and shakes her head.  
  
“I…I wanted to see Jaime. I wanted to apologize to Tony.”  
  
He sits down on the coffee table in front of her and gently takes one of her hands.  
  
“How did you find my house and how did you know Tony was living here?”  
  
“…Elliot told me. I went to see him and he had a picture of you from Christmas.”  
  
She starts crying a little and shakes her head again, squeezing Gibbs’ hand fiercely.  
  
“I…I don’t care about you and him. I don’t. It’s fine, really…”  
  
“Ok,” Gibbs soothes, “Ok. So Elliot gave you our address?”  
  
“Yes,” she sobs softly.  
  
“Look at me.”  
  
She does, lip trembling.  
  
“You can’t be here if you’re not taking your medication.”  
  
She tries to pull away but he tightens his grip, forcing her to look at him.  
  
“You cannot see Jaime until you start taking your medication.”  
  
“I…how did you…”  
  
“Your mother told us.”  
  
“…she…”  
  
“She’s worried about you. She wants to see you.”  
  
Gibbs is instantly aware when Tony comes back into the room but Olyvia’s eyes are locked on Gibbs, oblivious to everything else.  
  
“If you take your medicine and stay on it then you can come back and see Jaime.”  
  
Her grip becomes fierce again, surprisingly strong for someone so petite but there’s a fire in her eyes - something strong and independent.  
  
“Ok,” she agrees quietly.  
  
“I’m going to call your mom. She’s going to help you, ok?”  
  
“Ok,” she nods again, ducking her head.  
  
“Tony, you wanna come sit with her? I think she has something she wants to say.”  
  
Tony stumbles over and Gibbs reaches out as he stands, gripping Tony’s arm to lend him some strength.  
  
The phone call with Colleen is shockingly brief. The second he says Olyvia is at his house she’s yelling for Frank and hanging up. He searches the cabinets and the fridge, busying himself looking for something for Olyvia to drink and finally deciding on the tea Tony had been drinking lately to help him sleep. He figures she could stand something to calm her nerves.  
  
When he comes back she’s hugging Tony hard and sobbing into his shoulder. It makes Gibbs’ gut tense and he glances at the stairs, glad that Jaime is still asleep in his crib. He worries about what she’ll do, about what happens if she gets better but he’s not quite enough of a bastard to hope she’ll stay sick.  
  
“Hey,” he murmurs, setting the tea down as he sits. He wasn’t sure how she’d take it but he made it the way Tony liked it, with milk and honey.  
  
She sniffles and pulls away, swiping at her face with shaking hands.  
  
“Sorry…sorry…I…”  
  
Gibbs takes her hand and sets the cup in it, helping her to take a sip.  
  
“Just drink this and take a few deep breaths.”  
  
It’s like being with a victim, he thinks, just speak calmly and slowly and don’t make any sudden movements.  
  
“Your mom is on her way,” he says when she finishes drinking.  
  
“…God…Oh, God,” she breathes, voice high and tight.  
  
“It’s ok,” Tony smiles, “Everything’s going to be ok, Olyvia.”  
  
“I’ve been running for so long.”  
  
The tears start up again and she looks back and forth between them.  
  
“I know,” Tony sighs, “But you don’t have to anymore.”  
  
They sit quietly until Colleen bursts through the door, eyes bright with hope. She and Olyvia collide, soaking each other’s blouses with happy tears. Frank sags a little bit in the doorway, just staring at them until Olyvia timidly reaches out for him and he pulls her into a tight hug.  
  
“Colleen…can I talk to you for a minute?” Gibbs asks in a way that says it’s not a request.  
  
Colleen nods and gives Frank a pleading look. He nods and kisses Olyvia’s forehead, not loosening his grip. His eyes tell her that he won’t let their daughter run again.  
  
She follows him reluctantly into the kitchen and Gibbs gestures for her to sit at the table.  
  
“I told her she can’t see Jaime unless she starts taking her medication.”  
  
Gibbs waits but Colleen’s face is unreadable.  
  
“I think that’s for the best,” she responds finally.  
  
“I don’t know how you…”  
  
“Nonsense,” she bites out, “you know better than anybody, Jethro.”  
  
She grasps his hand and squeezes it.  
  
He blinks at that and realizes she must know something about Kelly. His throat seizes up and his chest constricts.  
  
“Yeah,” he chokes out.  
  
God, what he wouldn’t give to be having this moment with his own daughter.  
  
“You and Tony are wonderful fathers,” she nearly whispers, “I’ll make sure that Olyvia understands that. What…whatever you decide is best regarding Jaime, I’ll respect it.”  
  
He nods, biting back tears of his own. The relief is overwhelming.  
  
“You better go take care of her.”  
  
They stand and Colleen hugs him.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
“She came back on her own.”  
  
“I know but…you could have turned her away.”  
  
Gibbs pats her back and sighs heavily through his nose. There wasn’t a chance in hell he could’ve turned that girl away. Jaime deserved to know his mother and Colleen deserved to have her daughter back.  
  
“Go on,” he says firmly.  
  
Colleen nods and stands on her tip-toes to kiss his cheek.  
  
“Take care.”  
  
“You too.”  
  
Colleen and Frank lead Olyvia away. Tony looks exhausted and wound up tight all at once.  
  
“Colleen said she’d…” Gibbs swallows, “she’d make sure Olyvia understood Jaime was in good hands. She’s not gonna try to…”  
  
Tony turns around sharply and wraps Gibbs up in his arms.  
  
“It’s ok…”  
  
“You’re amazing,” Tony says with a wavering grin.  
  
“Thanks?”  
  
“I would have…I would have lost it, Gibbs. There’s no way I could have…”  
  
“Hey, it’s…it’s fine.”  
  
Tony kisses him and presses their foreheads together.  
  
“What would I do without you?”  
  
“Eh…you’d probably be a wreck.”  
  
“Probably.”  
  
“You wanna stay in, watch some TV?”  
  
“No…you wanted to go to the boat show and I could use the distraction.”  
  
“It’s…”  
  
“Gibbs,” Tony says firmly, laughing, “let’s get dressed and go or we’ll be trying to find a place to park until noon.”  
  
Tony kisses him again and Gibbs smirks.  
  
“Alright smartass, don’t forget your floaties.”   
  
\--  
  
Gibbs doesn’t say anything, because they’re not there and the words don’t really matter. He rests his head on cool granite, gripping the sides hard and relaxes into Tony’s warm hand on his neck.  
  
Tony crouches close and sets two small bouquets down.  
  
When they get home Tony finds a picture of all three of them – Gibbs and his girls - and puts it on the mantle next to the picture of his mother. He makes sure that Gibbs understands that this is ok, to miss them, to want them back. Family is always family, even when they’re gone.  
  
Gibbs falls asleep in the armchair with Jaime curled up against him and Tony takes a picture.


	13. Exes and Ohs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

They come tearing in from the backyard, laughing riotously. Tony grabs Gibbs around the middle and hoists him into the air, making the other man shout with surprise and laugh even harder, curling his body up as Tony turns to toss him on the couch. Jaime toddles after them, clapping his little hands at the display.  
  
Tony freezes, Gibbs still in his arms, midair and Gibbs looks up, still laughing.  
  
“Hey, Tobias,” he grins.  
  
“Hey…something you forgot to tell me?”  
  
Tony puts Gibbs down and grabs Jaime up, looking back and forth between Gibbs and Fornell.  
  
“You want a beer?” he asks.  
  
“Yeah, thanks DiNotso.”  
  
Tony nods and retreats to the kitchen hastily.  
  
“So uh…” Fornell gestures.  
  
Gibbs shrugs, “Just sorta happened.”  
  
“Didn’t think you…”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Always?”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
“Coulda told me.”  
  
“Never really had a reason to. Never thought I’d…you know…settle down like that.”  
  
“With a man.”  
  
“Right.”  
  
“But you’ve had sex with men.”  
  
“Yeah, Tobias. Thought I said that already.”  
  
Fornell shakes his head and scratches his chin, “Well…”  
  
“Problem?”  
  
“No…no problem. Rule 12?”  
  
Gibbs glares at him a little and Fornell huffs out a laugh.  
  
“So who’s kid…”  
  
“Ours,” Tony says firmly, returning with three beers and a sippy cup.  
  
“He’s got your eyes,” Fornell says with more than mild amusement as he takes a swig.  
  
Tony grins and settles on the couch, giving Jaime his cup of juice.  
  
“And my smile.”  
  
Fornell sneaks a look at Gibbs who’s watching Jaime fondly  
  
“Guess there was no need for me to stop by.”  
  
Gibbs frowns a little, hiding his confusion by drinking and then it hits him. Going over to the side table he picks up his phone and sees the missed calls.  
  
“Diane.”  
  
“Yeah,” Fornell grins.  
  
“ _What_?” Tony chokes out.  
  
The phone rings again and Tony rises swiftly snatching it from Gibbs’ hand. He glances at the display just to confirm and then flicks it open.  
  
“Hello?”  
  


“ _Hello? Who is this?_ ”

  
  
“My name is Tony, is this Diane?”  
  


“ _…yes._ ”

  
  
“Hi, Diane,” Tony says with every ounce of snide charm in his body, “I am the man who is currently sucking your ex-husband’s dick. Obviously not right this moment because, as I’m sure you remember, it’s a mouthful and it would make talking just…well, impossible.”  
  


“ _ **Excuse me**?_ ”

  
  
“Sucking his dick. I mean, there’s more to it than that,” Tony gives a fake laugh, “He’s a tiger in bed isn’t he?”  
  
Gibbs has his head in his hands but Tony can see he’s red to the tips of his ears as Fornell is gasping with laughter, clapping Gibbs on the back repeatedly in amusement.  
  


“ _I…I called to speak to Jethro._ ”

  
  
“Tough shit. I want you to forget this number, Diane. I’m going to make sure that _your_ number is blocked from calling it again and you should leave it at that. Move on and find some other poor sap to dig your claws into.”  
  


“ _I don’t know what he told you but…_ ”

  
  
“He hasn’t really told me much about you actually and I know he’s a bastard, believe me, but it’s been almost ten years since your divorce. Get therapy. Get laid. Get out of our lives.”  
  
With that he flips the phone shut and tosses it back to Gibbs, grabbing his own phone from the bowl on the side table, hitting number three on the speed dial.  
  


“ _Hey, Tony._ ”

  
  
“McGee!”  
  


“ _Yeah?_ ”

  
  
“I want you to do that voodoo that you do so well and block the number of the last incoming call to Gibbs’ phone. Whenever you get the chance.”  
  


“ _Um…ok, hold on…_ ”

  
  
“…Is this going to involve hacking?”  
  


“ _ **What**? No._ ”

  
  
“Well, I don’t know, your ways are mysterious to me, McGeek.”  
  


“ _Whatever…ok…Diane Fornell?_ ”

  
  
“…that was fast.”  
  


“ _It’s done. Why was she calling him?_ ”

  
  
“Crazy exes, you know how it is.”  
  


“ _Oh,_ ” McGee says with a knowing tone, “ _So she…_ ”

  
  
“Well, thanks McGee, I have to be killed brutally now, so I’ll let you get back to your roleplaying.”  
  


“ _Killed…?_ ”

  
  
Tony flips the phone shut and holds his ground firmly. Gibbs is pinching the bridge of his nose, still a little red in the face even though Fornell has calmed down and is leaning against the side table drinking his beer with a quiet smirk. Jaime is calmly watching them from the couch, sipping his juice with wide eyes.  
  
“Gibbs?” Tony winces.  
  
“Don’t speak.”  
  
Fornell snorts and bites back the urge to laugh again.  
  
“Wish I’d thought of that,” he says, saluting Tony with his beer.  
  
Gibbs glares at him sideways, not moving his hand from his face.  
  
“You would have told Diane you were _sucking my dick_?”  
  
Fornell starts laughing again, nodding, “God, I might call her up and do it anyway.”  
  
“ _What_?”  
  
“Can you imagine the look on her face?” Fornell clutches his sides, laughing harder.  
  
That finally gets a chuckle out of Gibbs and he shakes his head.  
  
“So…you guys are friends?” Tony ventures.  
  
Gibbs shrugs and nods.  
  
“I always wondered…” Tony gives Gibbs a half-smile and narrows his eyes.  
  
“Misery loves company,” Fornell snorts, trying to catch his breath, “I wish I had that conversation on tape.”  
  
“Jesus,” Gibbs groans, scrubbing his face, “I hope I never run into her again.”  
  
“I hope you do and I’m there to see it,” Fornell grins, “Hell, I’ll tell her I was at your ‘commitment ceremony’.”  
  
Gibbs punches Fornell in the shoulder and glares at him.  
  
“ _Commitment ceremony_?”  
  
Fornell rubs his shoulder but the grin is still firmly in place.  
  
“My sister’s gay.”  
  
“Sharon? I thought she was married to Lou?”  
  
“She is. Lou is short for Louisa.”  
  
“No shit?”  
  
“No shit.”  
  
“How come you never…”  
  
“Never had a reason to.”  
  
Gibbs takes a deep pull from his beer and tries to keep his head from exploding.  
  
“Well, shit.”  
  
“…we’re grilling out back,” Tony interjects, “you hungry?  
  
Fornell looks to Gibbs who gives him a slight shrug and a nod.  
  
“Yeah, thanks.”  
  
Tony scoops up Jaime and points a finger in his little face.  
  
“Please don’t remember anything that you just heard when you get older.”  
  
Jaime babbles and waves a chubby hand at Fornell who waves back with a small grin.  
  
“What’s his name?”  
  
“Jaime,” Gibbs grunts.  
  
“You adopt him?”  
  
Tony shrugs, “Uh…he’s mine biologically. Ex-girlfriend ran off and left him with me.”  
  
Fornell smacks Gibbs’ arm with the back of his hand.  
  
“ _What_?” Gibbs snaps.  
  
“Well? The guy’s sucking your dick the least you could do is adopt his kid.”  
  
Tony scoffs, grinning disbelievingly until Gibbs glares at him.  
  
“I’m uh…gonna go put the burgers and dogs on.”  
  
Tony turns tail and retreats.  
  
“Don’t push,” Gibbs growls threateningly.  
  
Fornell casts his eyes to the ceiling and shakes his head.  
  
“You,” he points, “are a damn idiot.”  
  
“Tobias…”  
  
“I’ve known you for a long time, Jethro. I’ve never seen you happy until twenty minutes ago. Not once. Anyone gives you shit about this and _I’ll_ shoot them _for you_.”  
  
Gibbs chugs the last of his beer and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.  
  
“Not many people know.”  
  
“They don’t need to.”  
  
“We start doing paperwork…”  
  
“It starts raising questions,” Tobias nods.  
  
Gibbs glances towards the back door, “I want to.”  
  
“So do it,” Fornell shrugs off his jacket and hangs it up, “You’re not getting any younger.”  
  
“Neither are you.”  
  
“I’m not the one with a second chance in my backyard.”  
  
“…God, I hate you when you’re right.”  
  
Fornell grins and slaps Gibbs’ back hard as he passes him.  
  
“Better make sure your boyfriend isn’t burning dinner. Doesn’t strike me as the grilling type.”  
  
Gibbs shoves him, “Don’t start with that shit.”  
  
“I approve of your life partner, what’s the problem?”  
  
“Tobias…”  
  
Fornell ducks outside and nods to Tony who watches them both warily.  
  
“Oh, God…” Tony grimaces, looking between them, “you guys are _friends_. How painful is this going to be?”  
  
“You remember that time you and Kate accidentally forwarded me those photos?”  
  
“And you didn’t let us live it down for months?...” Tony blanches, “Oh, _**God**_.”  
  
“Yeah. That painful.”  
  
“I’m surprised you didn’t post those on the office memo board.”  
  
“…kept ‘em for future blackmail.”  
  
Tony’s mouth drops open in surprise.  
  
“Gibbs…I’m proud.”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “And Kate did have nice tits.”  
  
Tony flings a crumbled bun at him and smirks, “Yeah, she did.”  
  
“You need…” Gibbs gestures at the grill.  
  
“Yeah, I’m terrible at this.”  
  
Gibbs takes over and Tony plops down on the porch swing with Jaime. He catches Fornell’s eye, nods to the space next to him and Fornell sits with a soft smirk.  
  
“And Tony?” Gibbs says.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Next time you tell somebody you’re sucking my dick? Feel free to embellish.”


	14. Outed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

“You wanted to see me?” Gibbs enters in his usual brusque manner.  
  
“Have a seat Agent Gibbs.”  
  
Gibbs gives him a look that says ‘When have I ever taken a seat when asked?’ and Vance chews on his toothpick in a way that says ‘Really, for once could you just take a goddamn seat when asked?’.  
  
For once Gibbs decides to take a seat.  
  
“Leon.”  
  
Vance leans back and regards Gibbs.  
  
“I’ve been hearing some rumors.”  
  
“About?” Gibbs snaps.  
  
“You and your Senior Agent.”  
  
“…anything in particular about us?”  
  
“The fact that you’re living together.”  
  
“We…”  
  
“And sleeping together.”  
  
Gibbs struggles to keep calm but desperately wants to rage against something. He knows this is his own fault though. They weren’t quiet enough. They told the whole team, they told Abby and Ducky, hell even _Palmer_ knew. It had been stupid to think they could be so open and not have it come back to bite them in the ass.  
  
“Nothing to say?”  
  
“What do you want me to say?”  
  
With a sigh, Vance leans forward and shakes his head.  
  
“I’d ask you to say I was misinformed but…obviously I wasn’t. I have to say I appreciate you not lying.”  
  
Gibbs forces himself to keep his grip on the armrests relaxed.  
  
“What now?”  
  
“Is it worth it? Is it worth losing your career over? Just…” Vance holds up a hand to stave off any possible anger or sarcasm, “answer me honestly.”  
  
There’s no question in Gibbs mind what the answer is.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
Vance looks him over and nods.  
  
“That’s all I needed to know.”  
  
Gibbs frowns and sits forward slightly.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I’m not blind, Gibbs. You’re not the type of man who does things on a whim. You’re also a man with integrity. Your performance at work hasn’t changed…though I’ve been hearing other rumors about you being less…disagreeable. I’ll assume we all have DiNozzo to thank for that. I’m tempted to give him a bonus.”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “Just don’t tell him why or I’ll never hear the end of it.”  
  
Vance nods again.   
  
“You’re two of my best agents and I’m willing to look the other way _for now_. Barring any problems this is…” He leans back again, spreading his hands in a magnanimous gesture, “not a problem.”  
  
Minutes pass and Gibbs finally lets out a long, shaky breath.  
  
“Probably never gonna hear me say this again but…thanks, Leon.”  
  
“Thank me by doing your job and not letting your personal life affect your work.”  
  
Gibbs nods and stands up, feeling like the luckiest son-of-a-bitch in the world. He reaches out and shakes Vance’s hand, trying not to convey too much about how deeply this whole thing has scared him.  
  
He makes it back downstairs and motions for Tony to follow him to the elevator.  
  
“Yeah, Boss?”  
  
“Vance knows about us.”  
  
All the blood drains from Tony’s face and his back hits the far wall.  
  
“…and I really, really liked this job,” Tony laughs, rubbing the side of his neck with a shaky hand.  
  
“That’s good considering you still have it.”  
  
“I’m not fired?”  
  
“Why would you think _you’d_ be fired?”  
  
“Because you’re…you’re you and I’m me and guys like you don’t get fired for things like this. Guys like me do.”  
  
“Nobody’s _fired_ ,” Gibbs snaps with annoyance.  
  
“So he’s ok with it?”  
  
And Gibbs is quietly happy that Tony didn’t assume something worse – like that they were ending their relationship or that Gibbs was quitting.  
  
“Unless we prove we can’t do the job.”  
  
Tony restarts the elevator and lets out a relieved sigh.  
  
“You’re giving me a detailed play by play tonight when we get home.”  
  
“You need a hug too?” Gibbs smirks.  
  
“Yes. Just…later.”  
  
Gibbs squeezes his arm and doesn’t bother pulling away when the doors open on the ground floor. 

 

\--

 

As soon as they walk in the door that night Gibbs hauls Tony close and hugs him tight. He holds him there in the front hall with the door hanging wide open to the balmy night and kisses Tony's cheek sweetly.  
  
When he pulls away he cups Tony's face and kisses his lips, soft and close-mouthed, before moving to take off his jacket and shoes.  
  
"What was that for?" Tony asks with an amused grin.  
  
"You said you needed it earlier. You change your mind?"  
  
Tony blinks and then chuckles, shaking his head.  
  
"Nope. I never change my mind about hugs."


	15. A Little Touched

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

It had taken some getting used to. Which wasn’t to say that Gibbs wasn’t prone to touching at work, it was just always head slaps and casual arm squeezes and occasionally something a little more intimate, like a finger tap to the chin or a pat on the cheek.  
  
At home Gibbs was like a completely different man. The first few months of their relationship had been a little tumultuous – hesitant blow jobs, a few fights, lots of kissing and the first awkward morning after – but it was the way Gibbs touched that threw Tony off the most.  
  
The way Gibbs would slide up behind him and kiss his neck, tender and just a little wet. How he’d wrap Tony up in his arms just to hold him – the slight sway of their bodies as they stand in silence is soothing and Tony wonders how he’d managed to live this long without this kind of intimacy.  
  
The way Gibbs reaches out and cards his fingers through Tony’s hair, smiling faintly.  
  
A hand on his back as they wait in a line.  
  
A sweet kiss to the corner of his mouth before they walk out the door for work.  
  
Gibbs pulling Tony close, settling him back in the cradle of Gibbs’ hips as they watch a movie, sliding his hand up under Tony’s shirt and rubbing at his skin absently.  
  
Gibbs – Gibbs! – rubbing Tony’s feet after a long day in the field.  
  
Running a finger down Tony’s nose with a smirk, hungry gaze pinning Tony in place.  
  
Caressing Tony’s cheek.  
  
Holding his hand.  
  
Especially the hand holding, Tony thinks.   
  
Gibbs likes to hold hands. Who knew?  
  
He’s more than used to it now – needs the feel of Gibbs’ work rough hands to put him at ease at the end of a long day, or to reassure him when the old doubts assail him or to remind Tony that he’s not alone and he’s lucky in love.


	16. Shave and a Haircut - Two Pics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Gibbs stares at his reflection in the mirror, scrubbing at his stubble with his fingers. It’s been almost a week since he shaved and longer since he trimmed his hair. He spares his injured hand a brief glare and digs out the clippers from under the sink, figuring he’ll tackle his hair first and finish up with a shave.  
  
Tony walks in just as he turns the clippers on, a squirming Jaime in his arms, takes one look at the clippers and shakes his head.  
  
“No.”  
  
“What?” Gibbs asks with genuine confusion.  
  
“You…you are not murdering your hair.”  
  
“I’m not going to _murder my hair_.”  
  
“You’re one handed! You are a one-handed man! Just…Jesus, Gibbs…” Tony yanks the plug out of the wall, “Would it kill you to ask for help _sometimes_?”  
  
Gibbs tries to snatch the plug back, “I’m going to trim my hair, shave and take a shower. I don’t need you to wipe my ass for me just because I hurt my hand… _Tony_!”  
  
“Language,” Tony says solemnly, nodding at Jaime and keeping the plug firmly out of reach.  
  
With a glare Gibbs grumbles out an apology to Jaime.  
  
“I still don’t…”  
  
“Go downstairs and wait for me in the backyard. Bring a chair and a towel,” Tony holds up a finger, “Just do it.”  
  
He takes the clippers from Gibbs and all but shoves him out into the hallway. Gibbs grabs a towel from the closet and a chair from the kitchen and sets up on the back porch, scowling out at the world at large.  
  
It doesn’t help when Tony laughs at him.  
  
“Hey, kiddo,” Tony chuckles, “You wanna play in your pool?”  
  
“Pool!” Jaime bounces in Tony’s arms.  
  
Tony dumps an arm load of stuff onto the porch swing and pokes Gibbs in the head as he passes him by. Gibbs curses under his breath, glare intensifying as Tony laughs all the way down the back steps, going about the business of filling up Jaime’s kiddy pool and setting him up with a few toys.  
  
“We really need to teach him how to swim.”  
  
“He’s only three,” Gibbs snorts.  
  
“Well, yeah, but…whatever, one argument at a time.”  
  
Tony grabs up the towel Gibbs brought and wraps it around Gibbs’ shoulders, pinning it in place with a safety pin.  
  
The smirk on his face is tolerant and amused as he threads his fingers into Gibbs’ shaggy hair, gaze traveling over Gibbs’ face.  
  
“What?” Gibbs snaps.  
  
“Just thinking about how much I love you, even if you are a cranky, insufferable bastard.”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow, “Still not amused.”  
  
“Wasn’t asking you to be,” Tony grins, kissing Gibbs tenderly before pulling back and moving to the stuff he’d dumped on the swing.  
  
Gibbs tilts his head back and stares at Tony who’s still looking at him with amusement.  
  
“You kind of have to sit up unless you only want me trimming the hair on the top of your head,” Tony bites back a grin, “and I can never make love to you again if you have a mullet.”  
  
With a snort Gibbs sits up and feels the buzz of the clippers on his skull. Tony carefully trims around his ears and uses the longer blade on the sides and back. The snip of the scissors, Tony’s gentle touch all does more to soothe Gibbs than any words could.  
  
“So how’d I do?” Tony asks, snapping Gibbs out of his reverie as he hands him a mirror.  
  
It’s his hair, the way he usually cuts it which isn’t entirely surprising. Tony tilts his head back by pulling on his ears gently and kisses him upside down.  
  
“Thought you’d try for something a little more stylish.”  
  
“Wouldn’t recognize you if I did. I’d hate to shoot you by accident out in the field.”  
  
“Yeah, that’d be a real tragedy.”  
  
Gibbs glances at Jaime who’s still splashing happily and then Tony passes him, coming back out with a bowl full of warm water.  
  
He lathers Gibbs up and the scrape of the razor over fragile skin is just as soothing as the snip of scissors and the hum of the clippers and Tony’s tender touch. He’s been told how intimate something like this is supposed to be, how it speaks of trust and he mentally shrugs at it.  
  
The trust bit he gets but mostly to him it’s just relaxing and nice to know that somebody cares enough to want to take care of him. Though damned if he’d ever admit it.  
  
His head is still tilted back as Tony wipes off the last of the shaving foam and Gibbs feels warm water in his hair. He hears a cap flipped open and the distinct smell of his shampoo wafts over him. Gibbs peeks open one eye, smirking up at Tony who only leans down and kisses his nose.  
  
Tony massages his scalp and chuckles when Gibbs groans.  
  
“Wish you’d let me do this more often.”  
  
“This? You can do _this_ whenever the hell you want. Long as you don’t _fuss_.”  
  
“I do _not_ **fuss**.”  
  
“Sure.”  
  
“Whatever.”  
  
He stays quiet as Tony rinses out the suds carefully, shielding Gibbs’ eyes with one cupped hand. He lets Tony dry his hair, eyes still shut until Tony’s lips descend on his again.  
  
“You wanna hold on to Jaime while I trim his hair?”  
  
“Think there’s something about restraint and torture in the Geneva Convention,” Gibbs says dryly, “Not sure I wanna be a part of that.”  
  
“Ha,” Tony says, making a face.  
  
“Jaime! Run away!”  
  
“ _Gibbs_!”  
  
Jaime scrambles out of his pool and toddles away, forcing Tony to give chase - yelling at Gibbs the whole while.  
  
“Gibbs, you…” Tony bites his lip and points a threatening finger at him as he struggles with Jaime, “You’re going to wake up bald, buddy.”  
  
“I’m terrified.”  
  
“Or maybe I’ll put Nair in your shampoo,” Tony grins wickedly, “Or hair dye. Bet you’d look good in pink.”  
  
Gibbs only rolls his eyes and puts the towel in his lap, patting it. Jaime tries to squirm away but Gibbs bounces his knee, making Jaime giggle.  
  
“…think I should try for the clippers?” Tony asks uncertainly.  
  
“Think he’s a little young yet. Might scare him.”  
  
“Ok…just make sure to hold him still. I don’t wanna take off an ear by accident.”  
  
“Just get it over with, Tony. The more nervous you act the more nervous he’ll be, so suck it up.”  
  
Tony glares at him and combs Jaime’s hair, snipping away.  
  
After a minute Tony grins nervously, “Rose is going to kill me.”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow.  
  
“No more curls,” he gestures with the comb.  
  
That makes Gibbs frown and glance down. Tony had cut off quite a bit and sure enough the sweet little curls were gone.  
  
“Don’t look so disappointed,” Tony teases, “It’ll grow back in like a week.”  
  
“Sorry, kiddo,” Gibbs says.  
  
Jaime brushes at the hair clippings with a scowl, shaking his hand when the wet curls won’t come off. Tony laughs, grinning widely and Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
“How about you two hop in the bath and I’ll help?”  
  
“Fuss budget,” Gibbs accuses.  
  
“You gonna wash your other armpit with your foot?” Tony pokes him in the forehead, “Besides, one-handed or not you still have to go back to work tomorrow.”  
  
Gibbs winces and groans, “Christ, I hate desk duty.”

  
“I’ll ask Abby to pray for all the really good cases to wait until you’re better.”  
  
“ _Thanks_.”  
  
\--  
  
He tucks Jaime into bed that night, smoothing dark, unruly hair and squashing the small feeling of loss over the missing curls. It was silly - but something about those wild curls made Jaime just that little bit sweeter and Gibbs wasn’t ashamed to admit that he was a sucker for that cute face.  
  
When he enters the bedroom Gibbs stumbles to a stop in the doorway. Tony’s sprawled out on the bed fingering himself, looking up at Gibbs through half-lidded eyes, groaning and biting his lips with pleasure.  
  
“Hedonist,” Gibbs accuses, voice deep and rough with lust.  
  
“Works for you, doesn’t it?”  
  
“God, yeah.”  
  
He trips forward, shedding clothes as he walks. When he gets on the bed, before he’s even completely settled, Tony’s already got a slick fist around his dick, stroking him to hardness.  
  
“How…how do you want it?” Gibbs gasps out.  
  
“Slow,” Tony smiles.  
  
Gibbs kisses him, reveling in the way their moans and groans mingle in their mouths. Tony is an amazing kisser; he always finds the perfect angle, always knows just when to dominate the kiss or lay back and let Gibbs take control.  
  
He pulls back and rolls Tony over onto his stomach, putting a few pillows under his hips and kissing all over his shoulders and neck.  
  
When he slides in Tony is loose and relaxed, gasping and moaning his pleasure with a smile. Gibbs thrusts are long, slow and deep; he listens to Tony and sucks at his neck.  
  
Tony cants his hips, changing the angle slightly, groaning loudly as Gibbs ghosts over his prostate.  
  
With a wicked smile Gibbs changes his own angle, denying Tony that stimulation.  
  
“Thought you wanted it slow?”  
  
“Not _that_ slow,” Tony pouts.  
  
“Could do this all night,” Gibbs breathes into Tony’s ear, “Make love to you until the sun came up.”  
  
“Next time we have a whole night for it,” Tony gasps, “I dare you to try.”  
  
“That a challenge?”  
  
“If it means you’ll do it - yes.”  
  
He wants to drive Tony a little bit crazy with it. Gibbs loves when Tony gets to a peak. When he starts babbling hot nonsense. It’s innocent and dirty all at once.  
  
“Oh, God…” Tony finally gasps, “Love the way you feel in me - you’re amazing. Want you to fuck me all night long, want…want to get off without you touching my dick. Want…Oh, God, Gibbs please…please just…”  
  
Tony thrusts back and Gibbs knows how after a while the build of pleasure starts to override your brain, how your entire ass is one electric thrill of pleasure, all the nerve endings singing with it. Even without touching Tony’s dick, barely even glancing his prostate, Gibbs knows it’s fantastic, delicious - too much and not enough. Tony’s done it to him before and hopefully will again.  
  
Right now he just holds on tight as Tony tries to arch and thrust; continues denying him the angle and pressure he needs to get off.  
  
“God, _Gibbs_ ,” Tony half-sobs with frustration, “Jethro, please, _please_ …”  
  
Finally he acquiesces. Gibbs kneels and Tony puts his head down and his ass up. Gibbs still takes it slow, drawing it out for as long as he can but the first brush of Gibbs’ dick over Tony’s prostate has Tony all but shouting out his release.  
  
As Tony’s body shakes and shudders and clenches around him with completion Gibbs cums too, groaning loud and long as his thrusts stutter and still. They cling to each other, Tony keeping Gibbs close as best he can as Gibbs practically collapses on top of him.  
  
Gibbs winces faintly as he pulls out, dick sensitive and softening. He kisses Tony’s shoulder and they topple over onto their sides, catching their breath.  
  
Tony manages to draw up enough energy to turn over and kiss Gibbs again.  
  
“That was so good,” Tony smiles.  
  
“Yeah?” Gibbs grins back.  
  
Tony makes a faint nose of approval and kisses Gibbs, deeper, sweeter.  
  
They fall asleep in a tangle of limbs, barely managing to crawl under the covers before sleep claims them.  
  
\--  
  
Gibbs stumbles into the bathroom, scrubbing his face. His jaw drops when he glances at himself in the mirror and for long moments he can only stare.  
  
The flash of the camera startles him and snaps him out of his shock.  
  
“Tony!” he roars.  
  
“It’s only gel, Gibbs! It’ll wash out!” Tony laughs.  
  
“It’s _pink_.”  
  
“And it _washes out_.”  
  
“It _better_.”  
  
Tony rolls his eyes and takes another picture.  
  
“I’m going to drop Jaime off and get an early start. Are you going to be ok to drive yourself?”  
  
“Yeah…” Gibbs waves him off, turning his head as he inspects the glaring pink.  
  
Tony helps Gibbs wrap his hand in plastic, darts in for a kiss and shuffles off, leaving Gibbs to scowl at his reflection.  
  
When Gibbs walks in thirty minutes later he’s got a cap firmly secured on his head. It earns him one or two strange looks - he’s not usually one for hats unless it’s out in the field and his bandaged hand testifies that he won’t be leaving his desk for a while.  
  
Tony doesn’t notice at first. He waves distractedly as he reads something from a cold case file and when he finally does look up at Gibbs he does a double-take.  
  
“No.”  
  
“ _Yes_.”  
  
With wide eyes Tony strides over to Gibbs’ desk and looks at the light pink hair peeking out from under the cap.  
  
“Oh, God…it’s _girl_ pink.”  
  
“Yeah, Tony.”  
  
“It said it would wash out!” Tony whispers as McGee and Ziva walk in.  
  
“It also said not to use on blonde or grey hair. Did ya read _that_ part?”  
  
Gibbs shoves the bottle under Tony’s nose and Tony startles back slightly, reading the fine print and groaning softly.  
  
“Shit,” Tony mutters, “Maybe you didn’t wash it enough?”  
  
“I washed it twice with my shampoo and once with yours.”  
  
With a tentatively interested look on his face Tony leans closer and sniffs discreetly.  
  
“That’s going to make it a little hard to work,” he admits.  
  
“Um…what’s with the hat, Boss?” McGee asks curiously.  
  
“Bad hair day, Probie,” Tony says, gesturing for McGee to drop it.  
  
“And whose fault is that?” Gibbs snaps.  
  
“Mine,” Tony winces, “I am so sorry.”  
  
“Not yet you aren’t.”  
  
Tony’s eyes go wide and he backs up a little.  
  
“Oh, God…I am so dead.”  
  
“Oh, yeah,” Gibbs grins beatifically, “I have _pictures_.”  
  
“You wouldn’t!”  
  
Gibbs grins wider.  
  
“Oh, God, you would.”  
  
McGee and Ziva move in closer and Gibbs frowns at them, lifting the cap up slightly. McGee has the good sense to cover the smile but Ziva laughs outright.  
  
“It’s a…very flattering shade,” Ziva chuckles.  
  
“Can it, David.”  
  
“Sorry,” she grins.  
  
“I can _make_ you sorry,” Gibbs glares.  
  
With a small noise of not-quite-fear, Ziva unsuccessfully tries to bite back her smile and pats Tony on the arm.  
  
“Good luck, Tony.”  
  
“Luck cannot possibly save me, Ziva.”  
  
McGee scratches his chin, “You know Abby might know something that could maybe get that out. I’ll go ask her.”  
  
“Please do,” Tony pleads, unable to tear his eyes away from Gibbs’ glare.  
  
“ _You_ ,” Gibbs points, “better hope she can get this out by day’s end or I’m gonna be posting some real interesting pictures of you on the office memo board.”  
  
“Oh, God,” Tony whimpers, “Wait up, McGee!”  
  
Lunch sees Gibbs bent over a sink in autopsy letting Abby scrub a truly foul smelling concoction into his hair.  
  
“This worked the one time I tried to dye my hair blue in college and it turned out more like snot green. I went black from there and haven’t looked back since. You ever thought about dying your hair, Gibbs?”  
  
“Right now I’m just trying not to breathe too much, Abbs. You sure this stuff is safe?”  
  
“Oh, yeah, as long as it’s well ventilated. Autopsy has surprisingly good ventilation…probably because of the dead body smell,” she shrugs, “Ok, time to rinse!”  
  
Tony watches nervously from the sidelines as Abby rinses and dries Gibbs’ hair, breathing a sigh of relief when Gibbs stands up.  
  
“Oh, thank God.”  
  
Gibbs smirks at him and takes the mirror from Abby, inspecting his hair with mild relief.  
  
“It seem a little…whiter?”  
  
Abby shrugs, “Maybe a little?”  
  
“Hmph.”  
  
The next day Tony is almost immediately accosted by coworkers as soon as he walks in the door. He knows, before they even open their mouths, that Gibbs made good on his threat anyway and he trudges up to the break room to see exactly which two “adorable pics” (as Cynthia from records had put it) were gracing the office memo board.  
  
The first picture is of him and Jaime playing with one of Jaime’s toys on the floor. They’re both grinning widely and he hadn’t really noticed before exactly how _much_ Jaime really did smile like him.  
  
The second picture is the one of him as a little boy in a sailor suit. It’s quite obviously him and he can hear McGee snickering before a large palm slaps him on the back.  
  
“Nice outfit, Tony.”  
  
“Stuff it, McGee.”  
  
McGee shakes his head, “You were a cute kid. I see where Jaime gets it from.”  
  
“You think if I take these down he’ll let me live?”  
  
“Probably not. They’re not that bad anyway.”  
  
Tony shifts.  
  
“I don’t mind that,” he points to the picture of him and Jaime and then grimaces as he points to the picture of him in the sailor suit, “so much as _that_.”  
  
“Why?”  
  
Tony glances at him out of the corner of his eye, “Because…because that was right before my mom died and it’s a stupid outfit and she made me wear it and I love that stupid picture because it…it reminds me how much she loved me; even if she had a weird way of showing it sometimes. I don’t want people… _gawking_ at that.”  
  
McGee gapes at him for a second, shocked by the honesty and then sighs as he takes the picture down.  
  
“You’re invoking Gibbs’ wrath?”  
  
“I think he’ll understand,” McGee shrugs.  
  
And Tony is further shocked when McGee walks straight up to Gibbs’ desk, setting the picture down in front of him without hesitation as he explains why in low tones. Gibbs winces a little and shoots Tony a look of apology but Tony can only shrug and nod like an idiot.  
  
“Surprised you told him that,” Gibbs says when they get a moment alone in the elevator.  
  
“I couldn’t take people looking at that picture, Gibbs. I know you didn’t know but I…it was easier to tell him than to leave it.”  
  
“Sorry.”  
  
“You didn’t know,” Tony shrugs.  
  
Gibbs punches the emergency stop and pulls Tony close.  
  
“I could’ve posted something else up there. I went too far.”  
  
“I show people pictures of Jaime all the time…”  
  
“You show the people you want to show. I know you like your privacy.”  
  
Tony rolls his eyes, “It’s not that big of a deal, Gibbs.”  
  
Gibbs kisses his cheek, “You sure?”  
  
“ _Yes_ ,” Tony glares half-heartedly, “You’re going to get us in trouble with this elevator stuff one day.”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs shrugs as he leans in to kiss Tony, “Whatever.”


	17. Mending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

The house is far too quiet and Gibbs checks on Jaime first. The crib is empty which is a little nerve-wracking but a quick call to Rose confirms that she hit traffic again – which only leaves Gibbs to find Tony.  
  
He feels like a heel just for thinking it but Gibbs almost turns tail to hide out in the basement for the night.  
  
It had been such a rough day, one of those days that left everybody feeling raw, like they’d all been worked over with sandpaper. Tony had definitely had a worse day than the rest of them though and Gibbs was dreading having to deal with the fall out.  
  
“Tony?” he calls into the dark bedroom.  
  
“Yeah?” Tony rasps out hoarsely.  
  
“You ok?”  
  
“I need a minute.”  
  
Gibbs wants to snort at that. Tony never gave _him_ a minute, even when he snarled and yelled and threw things; even when he punched the wall and got right into Tony’s face. And on those even more rare occasions when Gibbs would drink a little too much bourbon in the basement and Tony would find him, head in hand, leaning up against the wall crying, well, Tony _never_ left him alone then; even when Gibbs pushed him away and cursed at him. Even when it hurt so much it was hard to bear. Tony never, ever left him alone.  
  
His eyes adjust and he sees Tony curled up on the bed, still dressed and Gibbs does his best to _quickly_ text Abby.  
  


_‘think u could come help watch jaime?’_

‘What’s up, Bossman?’

‘tony needs a little tlc. rough day.’

‘I’ll be over in 10.’ 

  
  
Gibbs kicks off his shoes and lays out next to Tony, hauling him close.  
  
“Gibbs, I…”  
  
“Shut up,” Gibbs grumbles, “I’m here.”  
  
“I just need a minute, I’ll be fine,” Tony insists.  
  
“Yeah, you will be, but I’m not going anywhere.”  
  
Tony presses his face into Gibbs’ chest, breath coming a little faster.  
  
“I know.”  
  
For long minutes he just holds Tony, stroking his hair.  
  
“This about that woman?” Gibbs finally asks, knowing the answer is yes.  
  
“I let her go,” Tony says brokenly, breath hitching.  
  
“She jumped and you did your best. She wanted to die, Tony. We can’t save them if they don’t want us to.”  
  
He knows what’s coming next and he shouldn’t have let Tony do it. He shouldn’t have let him inform the parents but Tony had insisted, had seemed mostly fine at the time.  
  
Maybe that had been the warning. Mostly fine was mostly fucked once you had to deal with the fall-out of a mourning family.  
  
“Her parents…God, Gibbs.”  
  
“I know. It’s not an easy thing.”  
  
Tony looks up at him with watery eyes and then kisses him fiercely.  
  
“I’m sorry, I…”  
  
“Tony, shut up. It’s ok.”  
  
They lay like that for a while until Gibbs hears the door open and shut, voices downstairs telling him that Abby and Rose managed to get there at the same time. The third step creaks and Rose’s face pops into the doorway seconds later. She creeps in quietly, wrapping an arm around Tony’s middle and kissing his cheek.  
  
“Love you sweetie. I’ll see you tomorrow, ok?”  
  
Tony nods and she holds him tight for a moment longer before leaning over to pop a kiss on Gibbs’ cheek. Her eyes say, ‘Please take care of him’ and Gibbs gives her a small smile.  
  
She really didn’t have to ask.  
  
Abby stays downstairs with Jaime, bustling around, saying goodbye to Rose and Gibbs tilts Tony’s head back, kissing him gently.  
  
“Why don’t you go take a shower? I’ll put dinner on.”  
  
“It’s my night to cook…”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “You gonna argue with getting out of cooking?”  
  
He kisses Tony again, drawing it out a little longer.  
  
“Take a quick shower, I’ll start dinner. Abby’s downstairs with Jaime.”  
  
With that he sits up, dragging Tony with him and pushing him in the general direction of the bathroom. As soon as he hears the water start up he heaves a sigh of relief and trots downstairs. The first thing he does is scoop up Jaime and hug him tight. Jaime smooches his cheeks and burbles nonsense at him – something about ponies and crayons, possibly something Rose let him watch on TV. Then he kisses Abby’s cheek and a little more of that relief seeps in.  
  
Somebody losing a child always made the old hurts ache but he doesn't have time to let it eat at him anymore. Not that he can just let it go but sitting around and wallowing in it isn’t an option. He has to get dinner on, he has to get Jaime to bed after that and after _that_ he has to help Tony keep it together.  
  
Somewhere in there, all those things that he was doing will somehow become a balm for his own soul. It's strange how fixing things can fix you too.  
  
Abby plays with Jaime on the living room floor and Gibbs takes off his jacket and sets to making something simple. There’s no point in making something fancy when Jaime is too young care, Gibbs is too tired to care, Abby is too nice to care and Tony probably won’t even taste it.  
  
“Macaroni and cheese it is,” he mutters, grabbing two boxes from the cabinet.  
  
Soft laughter filters in from the living room and he smiles a little, measuring and stirring in the twilight of the kitchen. He turns when the kitchen light flips on, momentarily startled until he sees Tony smiling apologetically.  
  
“Mac and cheese?”  
  
“You wanted something else?”  
  
“Nah. Good comfort food.”  
  
“Went for something easy,” Gibbs shrugs.  
  
Tony comes up behind him, wrapping his arms around Gibbs and pressing his face into Gibbs’ shoulder. He doesn’t say anything and Gibbs just quietly stirs and lets Tony hold onto him until he has to move.  
  
They all eat at the kitchen table and though Abby focuses most of her attention on Jaime she manages to draw a few laughs out of Tony. Gibbs appreciates how she’s learned to do that for them. She’s as much a part of their little family as Rose or Jack or even Senior - when the old bastard deigns to make an appearance anyway, though thankfully that’s more often than Gibbs would have bet on – and it shows in the quiet way she slips unobtrusively into their lives. She’s become mellower, though certainly not subdued. Gibbs wonders how much of that can be attributed to her most recent boyfriend and the serious turn their relationship had taken but he tries not to think about that too hard – mostly because she wants him to walk her down the aisle and it’s going to ruin his bastard image when he tears up.  
  
Tony settles a little, feeding Jaime, occasionally laughing with Abby, accepting Gibbs’ grounding touch.  
  
When dinner’s done and the dishes are in the rack they move into the living room with one of Tony’s favorite movies playing in the background. Abby loves playing with Jaime and Jaime loves his ‘Abba’. Tony tucks into Gibbs’ side, watching Abby and Jaime more than the movie, sinking into the warmth of Gibbs’ arms.  
  
This is good too. Abby’s not just accepting, she’s encouraging; she pushes them together at almost inappropriate moments, laughingly telling them to kiss. When Tony touches him, when he touches Tony, she doesn’t leer, she doesn’t gape or blush or get flustered. She smiles softly and turns her head a little, giving them the illusion of a private moment.  
  
If Gibbs kisses the top of Tony’s head and whispers, “love you” into his ear, like he does now, Abby doesn’t make a fuss over it. It would bother them if she did and she gives them that space.  
  
Finally the yawns start. Jaime is first, small mouth opening impossibly wide and then Tony who turns his face into Gibbs’ chest to hide it; Abby follows and even Gibbs is yawning until they shuffle off for bed.  
  
Gibbs tucks Jaime in and leaves Tony with him to sing him a song. Abby is waiting patiently at the bottom of the stairs, coffin shaped purse in hand as she stares up at him with a sleepy smile.  
  
“You ok to drive or you wanna crash here?”  
  
“Got room in that bed for me?” she teases, sleepy smile becoming a wicked grin.  
  
“I’ll fart and trap your head under the covers,” Gibbs threatens.  
  
“I’ll burp in your face while you’re sleeping,” she counters, “I had a burrito for lunch too.”  
  
Gibbs grimaces a little, “You and your burrito burps could strip the paint off a wall.”  
  
“I’m ok to drive anyway,” she laughs, “I’m only a little tired.”  
  
“Want some coffee before you go?”  
  
“Some of us can’t drink coffee after a certain time at night, Gibbs. And you shouldn’t even if you can; it’s not good for you.”  
  
“Says the Caffeine Queen.”  
  
“Hypocrite.”  
  
Gibbs shrugs and hugs her, pressing a kiss to her cheek.  
  
“Sweet dreams.”  
  
“You too, Gibbs. Tuck Tony in for me.”  
  
“Will do.”  
  
He listens for the turn of the ignition and the hum of her car driving off before he heads back up. Tony’s still singing softly over the crib, stroking Jaime’s back as Jaime’s breath evens out and Gibbs watches him from the doorway, thinking how thankful he is for ‘this’ - whatever ‘this’ is. It’s been a few years now and even though he’s said he’s Tony’s husband he sometimes wonders how Tony feels about it. He has no doubt that Tony loves him, knows that it’s a lot but there’s still some uncertainty as to what Tony would define this as. They haven’t tried to make anything official yet, not that the laws had changed. He could adopt Jaime; nothing’s really holding him back there except his own niggling doubts.  
  
Tony turns and their eyes meet across the dark room. They collide and stumble into bed, pulling off clothes as they go.  
  
“What do you need?”  
  
“Get me out of my head,” Tony pleads, “I don’t wanna think anymore.”  
  
Gibbs reaches for the side table and pulls out the lube. Tony practically melts underneath him, giving in to every touch, moaning with every caress. He thrusts back onto Gibbs fingers, begging him for more, now, please. Gibbs draws it out for as long as he can. He doesn’t think he’ll get Tony to pass out right away, Tony’s head’s not quite in it enough for that, but he’ll get him close enough.  
  
Sliding into Tony’s willing body is never a chore. No matter how much this is about ‘fixing’ it’s something Gibbs will never, ever feel like he _has_ to do. He knows he’d go to the ends of the earth for Tony – has already in some ways – and that there will never be a time when Tony will ask him for something he’s not willing to give.  
  
“Love you,” he gasps into Tony’s ear.  
  
“Love you too, Oh God, I love you…don’t stop…don’t stop.”  
  
He couldn’t even if he wanted to. Gibbs presses a hand to Tony’s back, changing his angle slightly, thrusting harder, faster until he gets Tony right to the edge. Then he pulls back just a little, evens him out and does it all over again. He builds it to a fine, aching pitch and then reaches around to fist Tony’s dick and listen to him cum hard.  
  
When Gibbs cums he muffles his shout into Tony’s shoulder, biting just hard enough to leave a mark. He hopes it bruises a little because things like that seem to work for Tony when he’s feeling unstable. He likes love bites and hickeys and wearing Gibbs’ socks.  
  
Sometimes Gibbs thinks about getting Tony a tattoo, smirks at the image of ‘LJG’ on Tony’s ass cheek but he doesn’t know if Tony would go that far. So Gibbs cleans him up and slips one of his own shirts over Tony’s head, leaving him to put on his boxers as Gibbs goes to the bathroom.  
  
Tony looks a little bit more himself when Gibbs returns, hunkered down under the sheets and blankets. As he pulls Tony close he thinks maybe _he_ likes the idea of Tony, however subtly, being marked as his. He gives Tony a particularly dirty kiss and then pulls back with a smirk.  
  
“That was from Abby. She told me to tuck you in.”  
  
That makes Tony laugh, body shaking with genuine mirth. He settles against Gibbs, stroking his cheek.  
  
“How’d I get so lucky?”   
  
“Dunno,” Gibbs shrugs, “Must’ve racked up some good karma.”  
  
“Must have,” Tony yawns, relaxing just a little bit more.  
  
“I want to adopt Jaime,” Gibbs blurts out.  
  
‘God, _real_ smooth, Jethro,’ he thinks.  
  
“Yeah?” Tony blinks up at him, sleep still dragging him down.  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Good,” Tony smiles, “You’ll be his Papa on paper too.”  
  
With that Tony falls asleep and Gibbs chuckles.  
  
“Sweet dreams, Tony.”


	18. All The Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

They’re laughing in the kitchen and their eyes lock, drawing them both forward into a smiling, happy kiss. Jaime bounces around the room obliviously with a ball in his arms.  
  
When they pull back they look at each other fondly, warmly – Gibbs pulls Tony closer and Tony reaches up to stroke Gibbs’ cheek. They press their foreheads together, eyes closing as they breathe each other in.  
  
\--  
  
Ziva watches them discreetly as they lean over Gibbs’ desk, reviewing some document. Gibbs puts his hand over Tony’s and Tony leans closer to whisper something with a wicked smirk. Gibbs laughs and Tony grins, shushing him, even as he himself giggles. It’s strange to see the two of them so happy, so oddly unfettered. Ziva smiles softly to herself and turns back to her own work.  
  
\--  
  
Gibbs has Jaime on his knee as he reads to him. They’re sitting in the sunshine on the porch, cool spring breeze ruffling their hair on occasion. Tony watches them from the back door, small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as Gibbs makes funny noises that make Jaime giggle. He loves them so much it hurts sometimes and it’s moments like these, with the horror of a case fresh in his mind, that he finally understands the fear he’s so often seen in Gibbs’ eyes.  
  
\--  
  
Tony has his arm around McGee’s shoulders, pressing their sides together as McGee shakes in the too cool waiting room in the hospital. It’s been three hours since they brought Ziva in – Stupid, Tim thinks, Stupid to let her go out on that balcony – and still no news on her condition. McGee had watched the balcony give way, had watched her arms flail out almost comically as she’d plunged thirty feet down with the debris. When the doctor finally comes out – she’s stable, should make a full recovery – McGee cries in Tony’s arms and Tony holds him the way a father holds a child.  
  
\--  
  
Abby walks in feeling raw and tired. Gibbs is asleep, head propped on Tony’s thigh as Tony watches TV, eyelids drooping. She curls into Tony’s other side and holds him tight, careful of his damaged shoulder, fingers gently skirting the stitches over his eye. She doesn’t bother asking him how he is because he’ll say fine even though he’s not and really she can’t take the lie right now. So Abby holds her tongue and holds Tony, leaning up to kiss his cheek every now and again until he falls asleep. They’re safe here in this house, on this couch and Abby strokes Gibbs’ hair before sleep finally claims her too.  
  
\--  
  
Jaime is watching them shrewdly. Daddy has been smiling far too much, even for him and Papa hasn’t let him go play with the toys in the center of the room with the other kids. In fact, Papa’s been holding him, bouncing and tickling him, since they got here. He doesn’t recognize this place but he gets the feeling he’s not going to like it. A lady with teddy bears all over her shirt and pants walks in and they get up and go into a smaller room that’s very white. Jaime looks around and then looks at his Papa and his Daddy accusingly. Something’s going on. A man in a white coat walks in and looks Jaime over, pressing a funny metal thing to his chest and putting things in his ears and shining a light in his eyes and looking in his mouth. He watches as the doctor puts something funny and sharp in his arm – it hurts a little but he doesn’t cry. Daddy argues with Papa when they leave and they end up getting ice cream.  
  
He doesn’t understand what all the fuss was about but if it gets him ice cream he’ll stay quiet.


	19. Alone part A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

It had been a particularly spectacular blow-out.  
  
They didn’t fight often and usually when they did it diffused quickly enough into laughter or sex or simply apologies.  
  
Tonight Tony was still hurting over a bad case and Gibbs was angry for the same reason. Rose had walked in on it, Jaime in tow and Tony had simply…stopped. He’d stopped yelling, backed away and gone upstairs. He came back with his duffel and Jaime’s overnight bag.  
  
“Can I stay at your place tonight?”  
  
Rose had blinked, nodded and then they’d been gone. Gibbs was left standing there, staring at the door, still seething and wondering what the hell had just happened.  
  
‘Tonight’ became several nights, Tony barely spoke to him at work and Rose wasn’t returning his phone calls.  
  
Somewhere around the thirty-fifth time he called Rose, she picked up the phone with a snarling “what?” that left Gibbs speechless for several long seconds.  
  
“I…just called to see how Jaime was. Tony’s still not speaking to me.”  
  
“Can you blame him, Gibbs? God, the things you were saying…I never thought you were capable of that.”  
  
Gibbs winces a little. Of course he was capable, he was a rat bastard. He always knew just what to say to cut to the core and he knew Tony better than anyone. What he’d said to Tony had been beyond cruel but his mouth just wouldn’t stop.  
  
“I keep trying to apologize to him…”  
  
“If it were me, Gibbs, I wouldn’t let you,” Rose snaps.  
  
“Christ, Rose…”  
  
“Look, if you want to see Jaime then…Tony said that was fine. If I ever, ever catch you talking to Jaime like that, Gibbs, so help me I will rip out your goddamned tongue.”  
  
“I’d never…”  
  
“Shut up! I don’t want to hear it right now. If you want to take Jaime after work tomorrow then call me and come pick him up.”  
  
The line goes dead after that and Gibbs’ hand drops into his lap as he stares at the far wall. That night, like every night since they left, he curls up on Tony’s side of the bed and aches.  
  
When he picks up Jaime the glare Rose gives him makes him feel lower than shit. Tony walks in after she goes upstairs to get Jaime and Gibbs opens his mouth but Tony shakes his head and takes a step back.  
  
“Tony, please.”  
  
Tony only shakes his head again and looks away.  
  
“I’m sorry, I just…” Gibbs tries to continue.  
  
“Go upstairs, Tony,” Rose says gently, pushing him in that direction.  
  
She hands Jaime over to Gibbs and grabs his arm painfully, guiding him out the door.  
  
“…he needs more time,” she bites out, “I know he wants to forgive you but he needs more time.”  
  
“It’s been over a week…”  
  
“Do you even _remember_ what you said to him?” she snaps, covering Jaime’s ears, “You told him he wasn’t worth the air he was breathing, you said he was a piss poor excuse of an agent, and the rest of it Gibbs I don’t dare repeat. It was too awful.”  
  
Rose seems conflicted as she looks into his eyes and reaches up to cup his face in her hands.  
  
“I don’t know how somebody with such a good heart can do such mean things. You can’t take your B.S. out on the people you love, Gibbs.”  
  
“I know,” he grinds out.  
  
Rose frowns, scrunching one eye almost shut as if she’s trying to physically keep the tears at bay. She turns to go back inside, to shut the door in his face and Gibbs opens his mouth.  
  
“I don’t think those things about Tony,” he spits out quickly.  
  
“Then why did you _say_ them?” she asks with exasperated confusion, flinging her arms out.  
  
“He thinks them about himself,” Tony says, coming up behind her, “That’s what hurts the most. He says them to me but he thinks them about himself.”  
  
With that Tony shuts the door.  
  
Gibbs doesn’t stand there long even though the hurt is almost overwhelming; Jaime has to be fed and he’s only got him until tomorrow morning.   
  
He’s praying to whatever Gods will listen to please not let it end this way.   
  
He’ll do anything for a second chance.


	20. Alone part B

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

When he drops Jaime off that morning there are dark circles under his eyes – he didn’t sleep well – and Rose throws her arms around him.  
  
“God, you’re not any of those things,” she chokes out.  
  
He doesn’t say anything but he pats her shoulder until she pulls away and takes Jaime from him.  
  
“You’re not,” she insists.  
  
Gibbs manages a small nod but doesn’t feel any better for it.  
  
The drive to the office and the trek upstairs to his desk feels like a final walk on death row.  
  
If Tony doesn’t forgive him it will kill him. He can’t stand to be alone again, spending all of his time in a basement and working at a job, filling his days with endless tasks that ultimately don’t do anything to make him happy.  
  
“DiNozzo, with me.”  
  
Tony is quick as ever, no hesitance as he follows Gibbs into the elevator. He’s not surprised when Gibbs hits the emergency stop but there is a wariness that’s never been there before. Not like this.  
  
“…I’m going to keep apologizing until you believe me,” Gibbs says steadily, “However many times you need to hear it I’ll say it.”  
  
The look on Tony’s face scares him a little.  
  
“I know that you’re sorry, Gibbs. I also know you can’t promise not to lose your temper again and you can’t promise never to say those things again.”  
  
Gibbs bites his lip, breath coming a little faster.  
  
“What do you need me to do?”  
  
That actually seems to surprise Tony a little; he blinks and shakes his head.  
  
“What?”  
  
The words never come easy but he has to say them.  
  
“What do you need me to do, Tony?” Gibbs swallows hard and glances away, “I need you. I can’t…I can’t be alone anymore. Can’t sleep without you next to me. I love you so much…”  
  
“Sometimes love isn’t enough.”  
  
Gibbs clenches his eyes shut and shakes his head, “Don’t say that.”  
  
“Why not?”  
  
“Because it’ll kill me,” Gibbs says, voice rough and almost too low to hear.  
  
Tony goes silent at that and Gibbs still can’t open his eyes, can’t find the courage to see the look on Tony’s face. Then familiar arms are wrapping around him, holding him tight and Gibbs sags against him, letting out a shuddering breath.  
  
“Love got us this far,” Gibbs manages, “Maybe it’ll get us a little bit further.”  
  
“Ok,” Tony whispers, “Ok.”


	21. Alone part C

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

It was painful to walk out that door.  
  
Every step had been agonizing, every breath torture. He’d had to take one of Rose’s sleeping vitamins just to get his eyes to close.  
  
He hadn’t done it for himself.  
  
Gibbs’ words had hurt but they hadn’t hurt Tony. He always knew when they had these fights what Gibbs was really saying.  
  
The words came out: You’re a worthless piece of shit and a piss poor agent. You aren’t worth the fucking air you’re breathing. You’re a shitty father; you’re a sad excuse for a husband.  
  
But what Gibbs was saying was: I’m a worthless piece of shit and a piss poor agent. I’m not worth the fucking air I’m breathing. I’m a shitty father; I’m a sad excuse for a husband.  
  
Tony knows a lot of that started with Shannon and Kelly’s deaths. Gibbs felt guilty for not protecting them and the grief and the guilt became inseparable inside his heart. He couldn’t feel one without the other. Every time he wrecked a marriage or couldn’t solve a case, every time someone died on Gibbs’ watch the guilt and the grief would gnaw away at him bit by bit, two monsters become one.  
  
As much as it hurt, he had to let Gibbs hit rock bottom. It was like an addict who couldn’t acknowledge the addiction. It destroys you but you keep coming back for more.  
  
So Tony had walked out the door with Jaime, had told Rose not to answer the phone, had rejected every attempt at an apology until he saw everything come to a head. Now he could lance the boil and drain out all the badness inside.  
  
It’s going to hurt the whole time but like any necessary medical procedure he had to continue on until the wound was clean, salted and stitched.  
  
Watching Gibbs quietly come apart in the elevator at work – he never lost it like this at work – was almost impossible. Tony aches to reach out, to touch, to soothe and comfort.  
  
When he sees it, when he hears it, it still takes him by surprise. Tony blinks at the words, at _Gibbs_ acknowledging something – _anything_. The man looks awful - like he hasn’t slept, like the whole thing really is killing him and that’s when Tony makes the first surgical incision and lets the old wounds bleed.


	22. Alone part D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony comes home that night and Gibbs almost can’t contain the relief he feels. Jaime seems a little sullen at first but is instantly happier to have his own toys and bed back. He seems especially happy to see his Papa and his Daddy together, even though he seems to sense something is still wrong.  
  
Gibbs sings Jaime to sleep tonight, voice soft and deep like the shadows cast by the dim nightlight. Tony watches from the doorway and pulls Gibbs away after a time, gently guiding him into the bedroom.  
  
“I need you to listen to and believe everything I’m about to say. You can’t argue, you can’t deny it. You have to agree with every single word that comes out of my mouth tonight or there’s no chance we can make this work. Do you understand?”  
  
Gibbs draws in a shaky breath and nods.  
  
“Say you understand.”  
  
“…I understand.”  
  
Tony pushes off Gibbs’ jacket and untucks his shirt.  
  
“You don’t get to be quiet tonight. You’re not going to make me guess at what you’re thinking or what you mean. Tonight I get all of you. Every inch of your skin, every thought, every feeling whether it’s good or bad, all of you belongs to me. That doesn’t stop when the sun comes up,” Tony smiles, “But I’ll let you take liberties come morning.”  
  
He doesn’t let Gibbs do anything. He undresses them both, he lays Gibbs out on the bed, kisses trails up the other man’s body and settles heavily between his legs like he’s trying to keep him from floating away.   
  
“I love you.”  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
Tony nods, “I know.”  
  
Gibbs bites his bottom lip and lifts his legs, trying to say what he wants because the words are choking him.  
  
“Please?”  
  
“Ok,” Tony smiles.  
  
It seems to take forever to work him open, Gibbs can’t seem to relax, can’t seem to let go and the frustration of that just makes it harder.  
  
But Tony is patient; he kisses and caresses, he takes his time and pounces on every opportunity, shaking it senseless before it can snatch itself away again.  
  
They’re only up to two fingers and it’s been almost an hour. Gibbs turns away from a kiss, swallowing hard.  
  
“You’re not worthless.”  
  
“Tony…”  
  
“No arguing.”  
  
There’s pain written all over Gibbs’ face but he nods, breath coming a little faster, mouth pressed into a thin line.  
  
“You’ve changed so many lives. If I never met you I…I’d be miserable, Gibbs. Abby adores you. Ducky thinks you’re pretty cool. McGee worships the ground you walk on and Ziva…she’s pretty happy now. I think before NCIS she hadn’t been happy in a really long time. And I don’t think she could have ever been happy on another team. You trust us, right?”  
  
“Yes,” Gibbs manages.  
  
“Do you think we’d respect and love you if you were worthless? Do you think we would try to impress you and work so hard to be worthy of your time if you were worthless?”  
  
“No,” Gibbs grinds out through clenched teeth.  
  
“Because of you I’m a better man,” Tony continues, “You made me want to be better.”  
  
Tony kisses his cheek and manages to work in a third finger. He adds more lube and nuzzles Gibbs temple, whispering tender things into his ear.  
  
“You’re so beautiful,” Tony says lowly, “you really are. Your body, your strength, your mind, your heart…all of you is beautiful.”  
  
“Tony…” Gibbs chokes out, brow furrowing, eyes screwed shut.  
  
“You’re an amazing agent. You have the highest solved case rate in the agency and I know numbers don’t mean anything to you. I know all those medals don’t mean anything to you either but I’m still going to keep accepting them for you. If nothing else I want to keep them for Jaime.”  
  
Tony kisses his frowning mouth and sighs.  
  
“Sometimes we don’t get our guy. I’m right there beside you every day, I know how much it sucks, Gibbs. I get angry too, I second guess myself, I beat myself up but at the end of the day I know that I’m good at my job. If I wasn’t I would find another job because this isn’t the kind of thing you can do and not be at least _good_. People’s lives depend on us doing well and if you really think you’re so bad at what you do you should quit - but don’t sit there and tell me that the numbers lie. You know it’s bullshit.”  
  
Slowly, so slowly, Tony works in a fourth finger. Gibbs clutches at him, eyes slitting open and mouth going slack.  
  
“Tony,” he breathes. It seems like the only thing he can say anymore, that name chanted like a prayer.  
  
He’s split open in every sense, physically, emotionally. Tony has him pinned like a frog on a dissection table and there’s no part of him left untouched.  
  
“Tony,” he says again, breath hitching. He’s choking on the lump in his throat and he _needs_ …God, he needs.  
  
There are no more words for now. Tony tucks in his thumb and suddenly his whole hand is up there. It’s the most Gibbs has ever taken and his head thuds back against the pillow as Tony’s insistent fingers press up into him.  
  
He has no resistance left in him; he can only agree with every statement, only acquiesce to every demand. The answer is yes, whatever you say, just don’t ever let go.  
  
Gibbs’ breath is coming in hot, sharp exhalations; soft cries ripping their way out of his lungs as his body gives in to sensation. There’s nothing left. He’s stripped bare and Tony has him, has all of him.  
  
He cums hard with a ragged shout.  
  
When he blinks bleary eyes open Tony is wiping him clean with a washcloth and when he comes back to bed Tony smells like soap and sex. Gibbs feels naked, _really_ naked – skinless, armor-less, defenseless. It’s terrifying and his heart trips in his chest as Tony leans back over him.   
  
Tony holds his face and his gaze firmly.  
  
“You are a wonderful father and I love you. I love you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Jethro Gibbs.”  
  
Gibbs bites his lip hard and nods, unable to hold the tears back any longer. He pulls Tony close and hugs him almost painfully tight. The sobs feel like they’re being torn out of him and he can’t re-erect the dam until the flood waters have receded. The flood doesn’t wash everything away but the release is overwhelming - powerful.  
  
As the tears subside Gibbs turns his face towards Tony’s, seeking out Tony’s lips with his own. They kiss deeply but not desperately and Gibbs doesn’t let Tony back away an inch as he lifts his legs again, reaching for Tony’s dick.  
  
Tony’s soft and Gibbs pulls back with surprise, a splinter of doubt worming its way back in.  
  
“Tears aren’t really a turn on for me,” Tony chuckles, taking the corner of a sheet and wiping the wetness from Gibbs’ face.  
  
Gibbs glances away but Tony just kisses him again.  
  
“You’re even beautiful when you cry,” Tony says softly and Gibbs snorts.  
  
With a gentle smile he begins kissing Gibbs’ cheeks, forehead, chin; he kisses and licks and sucks down his chest, arms, stomach, dick, and balls - the whole front of his body. When he’s done with the front he rolls Gibbs over and gives his backside the same treatment, even kissing his ears and the bottoms of his feet. Every touch of Tony’s lips and tongue is like a brand, marking every inch of skin as his. By the time he rolls Gibbs over onto his back again Tony is achingly hard and Gibbs feels like he hasn’t even done anything to deserve such a response.  
  
Then again Tony loves him, wants him, thinks he’s _beautiful_ \- Gibbs thinks it should feel silly but is left just feeling overwhelmed. Even if he can’t trust himself he can always trust Tony.  
  
When Tony sinks into him he’s loose and relaxed, completely pliant in Tony’s arms. There’s nothing left to fight. He concedes the battle, admits defeat and raises the white flag.  
  
He won’t get hard again but Tony still feels so good inside him, thrusting into the still slick heat of his body that Gibbs just holds on for the ride, grunting and moaning his pleasure into the heated air between them. Gibbs has another flash of orgasm as Tony nails his prostate and then Tony lets out a low, keening moan as he cums inside Gibbs.  
  
As Tony pulls out Gibbs makes a cage of his limbs to keep him close.  
  
“Say you love me.”  
  
Tony blinks at him with surprise and then grins brilliantly.  
  
“I love you,” he smiles, “I love you so damn much.”  
  
He kisses Gibbs, a happy, close-mouthed kiss.  
  
“I’m in love with you. I luff you, I _lurve_ you,” Tony laughs.  
  
They eventually migrate to the bathroom to clean up and Tony wraps his arms around Gibbs from behind, pressing their bodies close as they stand in front of the mirror.  
  
“Beautiful,” Tony murmurs in Gibbs’ ear.  
  
Gibbs turns his face towards Tony’s but Tony won’t let him hide anymore.  
  
“Look at yourself.”  
  
With a sigh, Gibbs does and Tony smoothes away the furrowed brow with his fingertips and kisses at Gibbs’ cheek, neck and shoulder until Gibbs forgets himself a little.  
  
“Look how beautiful you are.”  
  
For a second he thinks he sees what Tony sees. He doesn’t look like an angry, broken bastard; he looks like someone that someone else could love. His body is still firm, his eyes striking blue and his face looks almost gentle. There’s a father behind that face and a husband – a man who can do what needs to be done. Tony makes him this way, Tony brings this out of him.   
  
He doesn’t have to be alone with the hurt and the doubt and the pain anymore. It’s not that he’s healed but the worst of the festering wound is cut away. There’s a chance it will never fully heal and Gibbs knows Tony knows that. Gibbs is broken so much more than Tony might ever be able to fix but Tony isn’t ever going to stop trying.  
  
That knowledge makes it so much easier to breathe and Gibbs sags back against Tony, almost overwhelmed with gratitude.  
  
“I love you, Tony,” he says thickly.  
  
“I know,” Tony smiles softly, “let’s get back to bed.”


	23. Everything I Love About You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Gibbs rolls over and slides a hand up Tony’s thigh, ass, back – then back down, lifting Tony’s hip slightly as Tony moans softly, drawing his leg up underneath himself. With a smirk Gibbs kisses and sucks his way down Tony’s spine, sliding his hands up and down Tony’s sides.  
  
Still half asleep, Tony groans.  
  
“Sshh…you’ll wake the baby.”  
  
Tony whimpers softly and bites his lip.  
  
“Gibbs,” he whispers.  
  
“Ssshh…quiet, Tony.”  
  
With a bitten off moan, Tony presses his mouth into the pillow as Gibbs ducks his head further south, licking a stripe over Tony’s hole. Tony gasps and shudders hard, dick jumping to life.  
  
Gibbs licks again, listening to Tony suck in sharp breaths and exhale shaky moans as he continues on relentlessly, ignoring Tony’s pleading for _more_ and _now_.  
  
He reaches down between Tony’s legs and strokes him, tongue and hand working in tandem. Tony’s trembling, clutching at the sheets, heart tripping in his chest. He’s so caught up in it that for a moment he doesn’t realize Gibbs is asking him to turn over.  
  
Completely graceless, he collapses onto his side, twisting until he’s on his back and Gibbs’ hand and mouth switch positions. Slick fingers slide up inside him and Gibbs’ hot mouth descends on him and Tony arches, crying out as loudly as he dares, mouth going slack as his eyes screw shut. Gibbs sucks him hard, teasing the slit with his tongue, humming, bobbing his head. His fingers – two then three - stretch Tony wide open.  
  
Tony throws his arm over his eyes, trying desperately to stay quiet. He presses his hand over his mouth as he cums down Gibbs’ throat, body going stiff, a fine tremor running up and down his muscles and flesh.  
  
Then Gibbs pulls off and away, the faint hush of water traveling down the hallway as he brushes his teeth and washes his hands. Tony’s on his stomach again, hips propped up as he looks over his shoulder with a wicked smirk and sleepy eyes. Gibbs’ already erect dick jumps so hard it almost hurts and he’s on Tony again in seconds, sliding in with a moan that he muffles with Tony’s skin. Tony is so hot and loose, body completely relaxed from a good night’s sleep and an even better orgasm.  
  
Tony, hedonist that he is, just lays there, moaning into the sheets as Gibbs thrusts into him. Gibbs laces their fingers together and keeps it slow, sucking at Tony’s neck, kissing the spot just below Tony’s ear. Tony spreads his legs just a little bit more and Gibbs nips at the juncture of neck and shoulder until he finally can’t take it anymore. He stiffens, arches, completes and sags down on top of Tony’s strong body.  
  
His breath is hot and heavy against Tony’s skin like a caress and Tony smiles, not complaining about being a human pillow as Gibbs drifts in and out of consciousness.  
  
“We’d better get in the shower,” Tony rumbles, “Jaime’s going to wake up soon.”  
  
“Mmm…” Gibbs groans, nuzzling Tony’s neck.  
  
“Come on,” Tony laughs, jostling Gibbs.  
  
Gibbs makes a noise of protest, kisses Tony’s back and climbs off of him. When Tony stands up Gibbs grabs him, holding him close for a moment.  
  
They kiss, the minty-ness of Gibbs’ brushed teeth covering Tony’s morning breath.  
  
“We have to get going,” Tony chuckles as he pulls away, “Rose will kill us if we’re late for Shea’s birthday and we still have to go get a present and pick up your car from the mechanic.”  
  
Gibbs squints at him and Tony grins.  
  
“I hate it when you’re responsible.”  
  
Tony laughs at that.  
  
“You like it when I’m irresponsible?”  
  
“I like it when you don’t make me stop kissing you.”  
  
“Ok,” Tony chuckles, ducking in for another kiss.


	24. Good Thing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony shuffles into the kitchen, pausing to admire the view. Gibbs is at the sink doing dishes, wearing only his boxers and sleep mussed hair. Tony slides up behind him, running a hand down his back and rear, kissing his neck.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hey,” Gibbs grunts, “Olyvia taking the kiddo straight to Rose’s?"  
  
"Yep."  
  
Tony grins and presses his middle finger up between Gibbs' cheeks, rubbing against his hole persistently. For a second Gibbs just stands there, gripping the edges of the counter hard before spreading his legs apart a little more with a groan.  
  
It’s a hot sight and Tony swallows hard, licking his lips. He drags Gibbs’ boxers down over his ass and keeps caressing him, watching him move into Tony’s touch. He slides his suddenly hard dick between Gibbs’ cheeks, thrusting against him lazily. Gibbs grunts and gasps, letting Tony do all the work.  
  
With fumbling fingers Gibbs reaches up to the window sill over the sink and finds the little rabbit container Abby had given them, pulling out one of their many secret stashes of lube. He waves it in front of Tony’s nose insistently, canting his hips back as he does.  
  
“You trying to tell me something, Boss?”  
  
“Tony if you don’t fuck me right now I’m gonna…”  
  
Tony reaches around and squeezes Gibbs’ dick while biting his shoulder.  
  
“You’re gonna what?”  
  
“Your dick, my ass. _Now_ ,” Gibbs commands in a too breathy voice.  
  
Tony takes the lube and laves the bite mark with his tongue, soothing the small hurt. He spends forever stretching Gibbs, teasing him mercilessly until Gibbs is thrusting back onto his fingers. The rising sun starts to shine through the kitchen curtains, warming their faces as Tony lines up and slowly pushes in.  
  
“God, I love the way you feel,” Tony groans.  
  
They’re pressed together, front to back, Tony’s arms wrapped around Gibbs’ middle and his nose in Gibbs’ hair. His thrusts are shallow, hard and drawn out, practically lifting Gibbs off his feet, forcing him up on to his toes to keep his balance. Tony brings a hand up over Gibbs’ heart, holding him even closer as he continues driving into him ceaselessly.  
  
“Touch yourself,” Tony breathes into Gibbs’ ear.  
  
Gibbs loosens his steel grip on the counter to bring one hand down to his dick, stroking himself slow with teasing touches.  
  
They’re drawing it out, reveling in the feel of the other, building to a crescendo until the pounding of blood in their ears and the slickness of sweaty skin and the heavy exhalation of breath from their lungs becomes too much to bear.  
  
Gibbs cants his hips to change the angle and Tony speeds up his pace, nailing Gibbs’ prostate over and over, drawing harsh, nasal grunts out of him.  
  
When Gibbs cums Tony sinks deep inside him - letting Gibbs clench around his dick hard until he cums too.  
  
They sag against each other, swaying slightly with the rhythm of their blood and breath. When Tony pulls out Gibbs makes a small noise of protest but Tony keeps them close, stroking the skin over Gibbs’ heart and smiling against his ear, Gibbs’ head resting against Tony’s shoulder. They kiss sweet and slow until a passing mockingbird trills loud and sharp. Tony laughs and kisses Gibbs’ nose, pulling away with a disappointed moan.  
  
“We really need to get ready for work.”  
  
“You go ahead and shower,” Gibbs’ gestures at his spunk on the cabinets, “I’ll clean up.”  
  
Tony laughs again, shaking his head and darting in for another kiss.  
  
“Alright but I get to make us breakfast.”  
  
“Deal,” Gibbs chuckles.  
  
He watches Tony head back upstairs and smiles to himself, tugging his boxers back up.  
  
God, he could do this forever – make love, take pleasure in the day to day things, gladly do the dishes as long as they’re not all his own. The thought makes Gibbs’ smile widen. He has a lifetime and he has no intention of wasting it.  
  
\--  
  
It goes for a while, with his mother being so ill, that Ducky doesn’t get to see much of them or of Jaime.  
  
But seeing Ducky with Jaime makes Tony really happy so he tries to make sure it happens as often as possible.  
  
Ducky definitely loves children. Every time he comes over his face lights up and Jaime rushes over to him for hugs and kisses.  
  
“Hello, my boy! How are you today?”  
  
Jaime holds up a drooled on cow from one of his playsets and Ducky takes it with a chuckle.  
  
“You know, this reminds me of the time…”  
  
\--  
  
Gibbs falls asleep in the most impossible positions. It isn’t all the time but when it does happen it's just shy of ridiculous. Of course when Tony’s there Gibbs’ default sleeping position is wrapped around Tony. Even if they fall asleep on opposite sides of the bed - no matter how bad the fight or exhausting the day – Tony will wake up enveloped in Gibbs’ arms.   
  
He doesn’t tease Gibbs about it _much_ – mostly because he loves every second of it.  
  
Tonight when Tony comes home, tossing his dirty clothes into the hamper – emphasis on the dirty, Tony thinks sourly, cursing the perp he’d chased through the woods – Gibbs and Jaime are already asleep.  
  
Gibbs is kneeling, arms underneath him, drooling into the comforter on Tony’s side of the bed as he snores softly.  
  
For about ten minutes all Tony can do is stand there in his clean clothes, hair still damp from the shower and stare.  
  
“How does he…?” Tony mumbles, shaking his head.  
  
This is the man who can fall asleep on a cement floor under a boat with nothing but a blanket for cushioning, the man who Tony has repeatedly found asleep on the couch or in a chair and _not always soft chairs at that_ , he thinks as he remembers all the times Gibbs has dozed off at the kitchen table. The man can sleep anywhere, an ability Tony has often envied him since he usually has trouble falling asleep.  
  
With a wicked smirk Tony takes a picture and then gently manages to get Gibbs under the covers. Gibbs half-wakes blinking at Tony a few times, grumbling and reaching out to pull him down for a few sleepy, sloppy close-mouthed kisses.   
  
Tony slides in beside him and can’t suppress the chuckle when Gibbs immediately wraps his arms around Tony, sliding a leg between Tony’s, effectively pinning him in place. Tony is still chuckling as he reaches over to turn off the light, stroking Gibbs’ hair and cheek, thinking how glad he is to have this to come home to.  
  
Though that perp is still catching hell in interrogation tomorrow.


	25. Merging

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

McGee has been fidgeting in front of his desk for about five whole minutes and Tony is quickly losing his patience with it.  
  
“What?” he snaps.  
  
“Tony…” McGee begins and then glances away, “I really um…you know…and I was wondering if you could…because he listens to you and um…”  
  
He gestures at Gibbs’ desk, empty now that the older agent is downstairs getting test results from Abby, and Tony’s gaze hardens.  
  
“I am not a go-between. You need to say something to Gibbs you say it yourself.”  
  
McGee blinks, mouth opening and closing a few times before he flushes and nods, quickly walking back to his desk.  
  
Seconds later he’s back in front of Tony, who can’t quite mask the annoyance he’s feeling and McGee visibly quails.  
  
“Geez, you’re getting really…cranky,” McGee says and then ducks his head, “Sorry, you have a right to be cranky and…I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have um…I’m sorry.”  
  
Tony glares at him a second longer and then relents, slapping McGee hard on the arm.  
  
“Get back to work, McGee.”  
  
McGee pauses, fidgeting again. Tony growls, clenches his fists over his keyboard and closes his eyes.  
  
“What? What is it, McGee?”  
  
“You’re turning into me,” Gibbs says mildly.  
  
Tony’s eyes fly open and Gibbs is standing in front of him with his ever present coffee, smirking.  
  
“They say that happens to couples after a while,” Tony shoots back.  
  
“God, forbid,” Gibbs chuckles and turns away, heading back to his desk.  
  
Tony’s eyes fall back on McGee who’s still looking nervous. McGee bends down, lowering his voice.  
  
“I need to ask him for time off and I keep…it’s for a conference on computer forensics and I forgot to put in for it and it’s next weekend.”  
  
Tony’s face goes strangely blank for a moment and then he reaches up and slaps the back of McGee’s head.  
  
“No stealing my MO,” Gibbs calls out, not looking up from his own monitor.  
  
“McGee’s an idiot and I just thought I’d save you the trouble of having to do it yourself.”  
  
That draws Gibbs’ full attention.  
  
“I was under the impression that he was a very smart, capable agent. Was I mistaken?”  
  
For a second McGee seems pleased but it lasts only a second.  
  
“Uh…I needed next weekend for a forensics conference in New York and I forgot to ask for the time off,” he rushes out.  
  
Gibbs shakes his head and waves his hand in the air, “Fine. See if you can get paid for it while you’re filling out the request form.”  
  
“Can you get paid for going to conferences?” Ziva asks curiously.  
  
“Dunno, David. Never gone to one,” Gibbs glances up in a way that indicates they should all get back to work.  
  
“See, Probie?” Tony grins, “Was that so painful?”  
  
“The part where I was talking to you was,” McGee snaps back.  
  
“Maybe next time you’ll just man up then.”  
  
\--  
  
The night is mild enough to leave the windows open and Gibbs comes up from the basement to find Tony standing in the living room, holding something with a very thoughtful look on his face.  
  
“You ok?” Gibbs asks, laying a hand on Tony’s hip.  
  
“I can’t remember where this came from.”  
  
Gibbs peers at it, a small conch shell with a palm tree design etched into the side.  
  
“Any reason you’re trying to figure that out at ten o’clock at night?”  
  
Tony sighs, “I was trying to find my favorite book and I couldn’t remember where I put it so I came down here to look and I was looking through the shelves and found this…”  
  
He holds up the shell, frown deepening.  
  
“And I sort of realized that I’m over the hill, kind of married with a kid reading a book on Friday night and it’s the happiest I’ve ever been.”  
  
That makes Gibbs smile fondly, eyes crinkling with amusement.  
  
“Ziva brought that back from Florida. Remember when she went on vacation?”  
  
“Oh, right,” Tony nods, setting it back on the shelf.  
  
“You were looking for The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy?”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony nods again, glancing around with mild frustration.  
  
“Think you left it in the magazine rack in the bathroom.”  
  
Tony snaps his fingers and casts his gaze to the ceiling, in the general direction of the master bath. Gibbs pulls Tony flush against him, tucking his hands in Tony’s back pockets.  
  
“You ok?”  
  
“Should I not be?” Tony asks with narrowed eyes and a raised eyebrow.  
  
Gibbs leans up and kisses him briefly.  
  
“You usually only read that when work’s getting to you.”  
  
Tony’s arms come around Gibbs’ neck, even as he glances away, lips pressing into a crooked line.  
  
“Last case bothered me.”  
  
“Absent father?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Gibbs nods and kisses Tony again, drawing it out a little longer.  
  
“Leave that part for the therapists.”  
  
“That’s why I’m getting my book.”  
  
“I,” Gibbs emphasizes, “am heading to bed. You should come with me.”  
  
“Because I was planning on reading in the basement?” Tony raises an eyebrow.  
  
That makes Gibbs duck his head, pressing his forehead to Tony’s chin.  
  
“Basement’s taken. Attic is free.”  
  
“It’s _dirty_.”  
  
“Clean it up?”  
  
Tony swats Gibbs’ backside and kisses him deeply, making Gibbs moan.  
  
“So bed, huh?”  
  
Gibbs grins and waggles his eyebrows in a gesture borrowed from Tony.  
  
“Yeah, babe.”  
  
\--  
  
Jaime’s with Olyvia for the weekend and working on one of his endless carpentry projects isn’t cutting it today. Gibbs tromps up the stairs and glances around, trying to determine where in the house Tony could be hiding.  
  
A thud from upstairs makes him frown and Gibbs walks over to the main staircase, peering up curiously.  
  
The ladder to the attic is down and his eyebrows make a break for his hairline as he heads up.  
  
“Tony?”  
  
“Yeah?” Tony yells back, sounding muffled.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
“Cleaning.”  
  
Gibbs climbs up the ladder and pokes his head up, coughing as a swirl of dust hits him in the face.  
  
“Sorry,” Tony mutters.  
  
He’s wearing safety goggles, gloves and a mask and wielding a broom.  
  
“Why are you cleaning up here?” Gibbs chokes out, waving a hand to clear the dust.  
  
“Half my books are in storage still. Thought…” Tony shrugs, “maybe I’d make a little um…”  
  
“Reading nook?” Gibbs asks with amusement.  
  
“…when you say it like that it makes me feel incredibly gay.”  
  
“Because all that sucking my dick and giving it to me up the ass wasn’t gay.”  
  
“Not to mention the taking it up the ass,” Tony says, possibly grinning though it’s hard to tell under all the gear.  
  
“Not like you have to start wearing designer brands and getting your hair done by an expensive stylist,” Gibbs’ face breaks out in mock surprise, “Oh, wait…”  
  
“Please,” Tony waves a hand at him, “You’re like the biggest stereotype of a repressed gay man that ever lived. Ex-marine, super butch, three divorces? You read like a bad gay romance novel.”  
  
“You read bad gay romance novels?”  
  
“On occasion Mr. _I’m not crying over this Lifetime-esque movie like a big baby_.”  
  
“I got _misty_. I’m allowed to get misty, I’m old.”  
  
“Misty doesn’t involve me having to get up and get you tissues from the bathroom. Which I did and it was cold and you didn’t even say thank you because you were blubbering so much. And anyway, you didn’t seem that old last night. Or have you been taking Viagra on the sly, Boss?”  
  
Gibbs climbs the rest of the way up, picking his way carefully over the beams and insulation until he’s standing toe-to-toe with Tony.  
  
“Gotta do something to keep up with you. You’re insatiable.”  
  
“You could just lay back and let me do all the work.”  
  
“You’d bitch about it after about a week and I’d never hear the end of it.”  
  
“Maybe.”  
  
He’s definitely grinning now.  
  
“You need some help with your reading nook?”  
  
Tony shrugs, glancing around.  
  
“I’m just cleaning right now. Not even sure what I want to do with it.”  
  
Gibbs slips on a mask from a box of cleaning supplies and grabs a rag.  
  
“So what am I doing?”  
  
Tony lifts the mask to kiss Gibbs’ cheek.  
  
“Pick a dusty spot and make it not dusty.”  
  
They spend the rest of the afternoon cleaning and though it takes some doing Gibbs manages to keep Tony distracted enough over the following two weeks to put in a whole hardwood floor in the attic without Tony noticing.  
  
When Tony finally manages to get back up there to survey the space Gibbs almost doesn’t make it up in time to catch his face. He bites his lip as he watches Tony gape and then quirks his head.  
  
“So?”  
  
“When the hell did you…?”  
  
“Finished it yesterday.”  
  
“You…” Tony looks down at him where he’s lingering on the ladder, “Jethro…”  
  
Gibbs climbs the rest of the way up and comes to stand in front of Tony feeling a little nervous. He’s having trouble reading Tony’s expression for once but Tony only ever really calls him Jethro when he’s happy or in the middle of a really great orgasm so that’s promising.  
  
Tony peers at him out of the corner of his eye and reaches out to grab Gibbs by the collar of his sweatshirt, yanking him closer. He wraps an arm around his shoulders and leans his head against Gibbs’.  
  
“This whole…spoiling me endlessly thing,” Tony gestures, “is both awesome and kind of overwhelming.”  
  
Gibbs smiles softly.  
  
“Yeah. You do that when you love someone.”


	26. How Much We Need Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Her name was April. She’d been six months pregnant with their little boy when her boyfriend, Lt. Scott Denson, had killed her and his best friend - convinced the two were having an affair.  
  
They’d also had a four year old daughter named May. Thankfully, April’s sister June takes May in and does her best to comfort the little girl who has in one brutal moment lost everyone she’s ever loved.  
  
It hurts him so much that Tony cracks a completely inappropriate joke for the first time in three years – something about months and names and Calendar Girls, it’s hazy now.  
  
Gibbs slaps him upside the head harder than he has since they moved in together and looks so genuinely furious that Tony actually takes a few steps back.  
  
They’re too tired to make the drive back to DC tonight so Gibbs books them a crappy hotel room in the small back-water town that Tony’s too exhausted to complain about. They have dinner at the diner in complete silence, hardly even looking at each other as they eat greasy spoon food and drink bad coffee.  
  
They’re barely in the door when Gibbs whips him around, yanks down his zipper, pops the button and pushes Tony’s pants down, turning him around again to shove him onto the bed. Only his upper body makes it though, his legs hang off the sides and Tony pushes himself up to protest but Gibbs comes down on him, pressing him into the mattress.  
  
“I need you,” he says roughly in Tony’s ear.  
  
Tony goes still and then nods, turning his head for a kiss. It’s a small kiss, open mouthed, no tongues but it’s enough for now.  
  
There are no pretenses. Gibbs immediately sets to stretching Tony open with slick, insistent fingers and Tony cants his hips, does his best to relax and breathe.  
  
The feel of Gibbs pushing in and in is so good that Tony has to bite his lip to keep from making embarrassing noises. Gibbs’ grip on his hips is almost bruising but Tony just braces himself for what comes next.  
  
It’s hard and it’s fast and it somehow goes on for what feels like forever. Tony is letting out keening moans – voice too high but the embarrassment can wait until later – and sobbing breaths. Gibbs just keeps pounding into him, ignoring Tony’s aching dick – trapped between Tony’s body and the mattress – and Tony’s pleading for Gibbs to finish him off already. Tony’s legs are straining from trying to hold himself up in the right position and Gibbs just keeps going until Tony thinks it might actually kill him.  
  
Then a slight adjustment, a change in the angle and Tony cums so hard it almost hurts. The long, shuddering moan that tears out of him is so loud the neighbors bang on the wall but Gibbs still doesn’t stop.  
  
“Jethro…” Tony gasps, overly sensitive body shaking with emotion and aftershocks.  
  
Then he’s wrapped in Gibbs’ arms, Gibbs’ face pressed between his shoulder blades and Gibbs thrusts twice more before he cums too.  
  
Tony’s still got his shirt and jacket on, pants tangled around his ankles, Gibbs in and on him trapping him as his sweat soaked clothes cling to his now clammy skin. Gibbs is shaking a little but Tony just lies there, waiting. Gibbs pulls out and Tony sucks in a breath through his teeth – he’ll be sore as hell tomorrow.  
  
He’s being turned over again and Gibbs is finally kissing him, desperate and deep. Then Gibbs slips down to his knees and Tony sits up, pressing Gibbs’ face to his stomach, holding him as Gibbs wraps his arms around Tony’s waist and just breathes, trying to quiet the tumultuous emotions inside.  
  
“Ok?” Tony asks after a while.  
  
“No,” Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
Tony sighs and hauls Gibbs up, stripping down and herding them both into the bathroom.  
  
They kiss more in the shower, Gibbs not letting Tony stray too far.  
  
Dry and warm, they crawl under the covers, lying close but not wrapped around each other the way they usually do.  
  
“Ok?” Gibbs asks.  
  
“No,” Tony half-smiles.  
  
His phone rings and Gibbs reaches over, flipping it open and putting it on speaker.  
  


_“Hello? Papa? Daddy?”_

  
  
Gibbs smiles a little, “Hey, kiddo.”  
  


_“Hi Papa!”_

  
  
“Hi Jaime,” Tony says.  
  


_“Daddy! I went to park with Aunty Rose and Bitty Bobby!”_

  
  
“Yeah? Did you have fun?”  
  


  
_“Yes!”_ Jaime’s voice is suddenly sad as he asks, _“When’re you coming home?”_  


  
  
“Soon, baby. Tomorrow, ok?”  
  


_“Ok! Love you!”_

  
  
“Love you too,” they chorus back.  
  


Rose comes on, _“Hi, guys. Did I hear that right? You’ll be back tomorrow?”_  


  
  
“Yeah,” Tony sighs, “Thanks for watching him, Rose.”  
  


_“Oh, shut up. I love you and I’ll see you tomorrow.”_

  
  
Before they have a chance to say goodbye Rose has hung up.  
  
“You’re a bad influence,” Tony accuses, “she never used to hang up on me before.”  
  
Gibbs shrugs with no hint of apology and scoots closer, throwing an arm over Tony.  
  
“Go to sleep, Tony.”  
  
A soft kiss makes Tony sigh, bringing a hand up to rest on Gibbs’ arm as the last few days catch up to him and his eyes droop shut.  
  
“Love you,” Gibbs says softly.  
  
“Love you too,” Tony mutters, “close your eyes.”  
  
Gibbs slides in that final inch and they finally fall asleep.


	27. Airport

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

They hear Jaime long before they see him.  
  
“Gee! Abba! Aunty Ziva!”  
  
“Hey, buddy!” McGee laughs, waving as best he can with his arms full of toys.  
  
Abby and Ziva kneel down to his level as he charges down the ramp, Tony warily keeping him in sight as Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
“How was your flight?” Abby asks, laying bright red kisses all over Jaime’s cheeks.  
  
“Long,” Tony groans, nudging Jaime in the butt with his foot.  
  
Gibbs laughs and accepts several bright red kisses of his own.  
  
“You opening a toy store, _Gee_?” Gibbs teases.  
  
“They’re not just from me, Boss,” McGee protests, “Lots of people at the office…”  
  
“Yeah, McGee. It’s ok. Relax.”  
  
“Papa,” Jaime says insistently, tugging on Gibbs’ pants.  
  
“Yeah, kiddo?”  
  
Jaime raises his arms and waits patiently to be picked up. Gibbs hauls him up by the back of his pants, propping him on his hip. He realizes as the crowd rushes by that they all must look like a family, even if a somewhat oddly mismatched one. It warms something inside and he kisses Jaime’s cheek and leans a little into Tony before they make their trudge out to luggage retrieval.  
  
“I’m going to cook for us tonight,” Ziva smiles, tickling Jaime, “I thought you might wish to relax after your flight.”  
  
“Thanks Ziva,” Tony grins, “Though I know it’s just part of your evil plan to make me fat.”  
  
“Yes, Tony, because my cooking is so unhealthy compared to your usual diet of vending machine snacks and take-out.”  
  
“It’s full of _vitamins_ ,” Tony grimaces, “What do I need those for?”  
  
Gibbs would smack him if he didn’t know he was kidding. As a Phys Ed Major Tony took very good care of his health and Gibbs had no doubts about that for even a second.   
  
“I like Aunty Ziva’s cooking,” Jaime says in a voice that’s slightly louder than it needs to be.  
  
Tony ducks his head and laughs, “Yeah, me too, Jaime. Are you going to help Aunty Ziva set the table?”  
  
“Yes! Are…Gee and Abba coming?” he bounces.  
  
“Yes,” Ziva says firmly, not leaving room for argument.  
  
“Alright,” Gibbs acquiesces, “But we’re not turning this into a slumber party, kiddies.”  
  
“Aw,” Abby laughs, “I wanted to paint Tony’s toenails and let him braid my hair.”  
  
“Maybe some other night,” Gibbs smirks.


	28. Lean On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Gibbs is propped up against Tony on the couch, wincing as he shifts. His ribs are broken, his shoulder dislocated and he feels like one giant bruise. He tried lying down but felt like he couldn’t breathe until Tony finally dragged him downstairs and situated them on the couch. The painkillers are starting to kick in though and he can breathe again, resting against Tony’s strong body.  
  
“Thanks,” he mutters.  
  
“Try to sleep,” Tony murmurs in his ear, before kissing it.  
  
Rose comes in about five minutes after Ducky, who heads straight for the kitchen after nodding to Tony. She goes and sets a sleeping Jaime down in his crib. By that time Gibbs is completely knocked out.   
  
“Is he ok?” she asks when she comes back out, brow furrowed with worry.  
  
“He’ll be fine,” Tony reassures her.  
  
“I love your husband, Tony,” she half-sobs, “you two need to stop breaking my heart like this.”  
  
“I know,” Tony sighs, “We’re not trying to.”  
  
“I know,” Rose shrugs her head to the side.  
  
She steps forward hesitantly and kisses Gibbs’ cheek.  
  
“Get better soon, sweetie.”  
  
Tony smiles at her and takes a kiss of his own, presenting a ready cheek.  
  
“Think that’s the only time you’ll ever get away with calling him sweetie.”  
  
“I’d like to see him argue,” she smirks, eyes a little misty.  
  
“Thanks, Rose,” Tony reaches out and takes her hand, “I mean it, you know? For everything.”  
  
“I’ll be by early tomorrow,” she says, ignoring him, “I’ll bring you guys some food so you don’t have to cook, ok? And don’t let him be a stubborn ass.”  
  
Tony snorts softly, “Yeah, good luck to me.”  
  
She kisses his cheek again and waves as she heads out. Ducky comes back moments later, lowering himself gently to sit on the one spare inch of couch.  
  
“How is he?”  
  
“In a lot of pain.”  
  
Ducky reaches up and brushes Gibbs’ hair back, shaking his head.  
  
“Did you convince him to take something?”  
  
Tony winces, “He didn’t really argue. You know he’s hurting pretty bad if I don’t have to force feed him his meds.”  
  
That brings a glimmer of worry into Ducky’s eyes and he checks Gibbs' vitals to reassure himself.  
  
“And how are you doing, Tony?”  
  
“I’m fine. Thanks for coming, Ducky.”  
  
“What are friends for after all?”  
  
Ducky stands and places a gentle kiss to Gibbs’ forehead, then one to Tony’s.  
  
“Try to rest, I’ll go see to our dear Jaime.”  
  
“Ok…you can take our bed if you want to get some sleep, Ducky. We’re not going anywhere.”  
  
“Thank you, Anthony but I may sit up for a bit yet. I’ve put on some tea if you’d care for a cup?”  
  
“Sounds good, Ducky. Thanks.”  
  
When Ducky enters Jaime’s room Jaime is standing up in his crib with a confused look on his face.  
  
“Ducky?” Jaime asks.  
  
“Hello, Jaime. It’s long past your bedtime my young friend.”  
  
“Not seepy,” Jaime pouts, “Papa? Daddy?”  
  
“They are asleep already,” Ducky smiles gently, picking Jaime up.  
  
“Song?”  
  
“Would you like me to sing to you? What would like to hear?”  
  
“Fish song,” Jaime says firmly, wrapping his arms around Ducky’s neck.  
  
“That’s not much of a lullaby,” Ducky chuckles, “Are you sure?”  
  
“Fish song,” Jaime repeats with certainty.  
  
“Your wish is my command,” Ducky smiles, sitting down in the small rocker in the corner, “ _Where do the fish swim? Fish swim in the water naturally. Where do the fish swim? Fish swim in the rivers and the sea…_ ”  
  
Jaime drops back off to sleep quickly and Ducky makes it downstairs just as the water for the tea begins to boil. Tony’s still awake, stroking Gibbs’ hair and kissing his temple.  
  
“Are you sure you’re comfortable?” Ducky asks.  
  
“Nowhere I’d rather be,” Tony smiles, taking the tea and sipping it cautiously.  
  
Ducky pats his shoulder and heads back upstairs.  
  
“Sleep well, dear boy.”  
  
“You too, Ducky.”  
  
\--  
  
“Hey…?” Tony frowns, casting his eyes around for any sign as to what would have Gibbs standing nervously on the porch.  
  
“Did something.”  
  
“…what?” Tony drawls, pausing with his foot on the bottom porch step.  
  
“Called Latanya. Got her number from Senior.”  
  
Tony blinks at him, “ _Why_?”  
  
Gibbs only shrugs a little and bites his lower lip – this side of Gibbs, this man who didn’t have all the answers, wasn’t always certain and sure, had taken some getting used to – had taken a while for Gibbs to be comfortable enough to even show. This other side of Gibbs had brought out the other side of Tony, the confident, demanding man who wasn’t afraid to go toe-to-toe with people.  
  
“Uh…you’re going to have to do better than that, Gibbs,” Tony says, huffing out an annoyed laugh.  
  
“You’re about as goddamned stubborn as I am and I saw the card she sent you and…” Gibbs waves a hand around, “I know you wanted to see her and when I called she was…you know, happy. So I invited her over.”  
  
Tony’s eyes go wide and he glances past Gibbs at the door, “What, she’s here _now_?”  
  
Gibbs gestures at a car parked on the street that Tony doesn’t recognize.  
  
“Don’t get mad,” Gibbs winces.  
  
“I…” Tony sputters, “I don’t even know how I feel. I can’t believe you did that.”  
  
They stand in silence for a moment in the afternoon sunshine. It’s a bright, spring day, the breeze cool as it ruffles their hair and clothes.  
  
“Is Jaime…?”  
  
“Inside with her.”  
  
Tony nods, looking shell shocked.  
  
“…how bad did I fuck up?”  
  
“You didn’t…” Tony shakes his head, laughing, “You didn’t fuck up, I just…I can’t believe she’s here. I can’t believe you called her… I can’t believe that this is my life now.”  
  
He glances up at the house and rubs his neck.  
  
“Finally caught up with you, huh?”  
  
“Yeah, I think so.”  
  
“Happens that way. It all hits you so fast…”  
  
“You don’t realize how much things have changed until…” Tony gestures between them, then at the house.  
  
“Wait until the kiddo starts school.”  
  
“Oh… _God_.”  
  
Gibbs laughs and reaches out, tugging Tony up and forward until they’re wrapped around each other.  
  
“Ok,” Tony breathes, “I can do this.”  
  
“You sure? Could tell her you got called off to work or something.”  
  
With a faint glare, Tony rolls his eyes at Gibbs’ teasing smirk.  
  
“Yeah, I’m a big boy now, Gibbs,” he sighs, “I just…I haven’t seen her in so long…”  
  
“Then quit standing around on the porch and get in there,” Gibbs growls, giving him a small shove.  
  
Latanya is sitting on the floor with Jaime, bent nearly in half as she laughs. She’s got a brilliant smile and when she looks up at Tony he feels ten again – overwhelmed by her joy and kindness, incapable of comprehending how someone could be so happy.  
  
“Tony!”  
  
She’s still limber, still in great shape. “Yoga,” she winks at him when he compliments her, tossing honey-blonde hair over her shoulder.  
  
She hugs him like it hasn’t been almost twenty-five years, like he’s still a little boy who needs kisses for his boo-boos. She fusses over how handsome he is until he blushes and then she laughs at that too.  
  
“I’m so glad your hubby called me!” she grins, “I hope you didn’t think I was going to be… _weird_ about this.”  
  
She gestures between him and Gibbs and Tony shakes his head.  
  
“No, I just um…I didn’t uh…”  
  
“He’s an idiot,” Gibbs grunts, “thought he’d be bothering you.”  
  
“Gibbs!”  
  
Latanya just laughs again, scooping up Jaime and bouncing him on her hip.  
  
“I can’t say I’m surprised, your father made it seem like everything you did was an inconvenience, stupid old…anyway. You’ve never been a bother, I always adored you.”  
  
Tony’s blush deepens and Latanya’s smile becomes impossibly wide as she reaches up to pinch his cheek.  
  
“God, you’re still adorable.”  
  
“Um…” Tony grins bashfully.  
  
“So I’ve been promised dinner.”  
  
Gibbs nods in the direction of the kitchen, “Hope you like baked chicken. I’m not a master chef but it should be edible.”  
  
“Sounds perfect,” she nods, tickling Jaime a little.  
  
“I set us up on the back porch,” Gibbs gestures with a nod.  
  
“Extra perfect! It’s way too beautiful to be cooped up inside it, isn’t it Mr. Jaime?”  
  
Gibbs points her towards the back of the house and Tony leans against him, biting his lip as she walks away.  
  
“Thanks,” he says quietly.  
  
“Yeah, go on,” Gibbs waves him off impatiently, “I gotta get dinner finished up.”  
  
With a soft, grateful smile Tony leans down and kisses him.  
  
“Remind me of this the next time I’m calling you an insensitive jerk.”  
  
“Still an insensitive jerk,” Gibbs smirks, “Just misplaced the bastard for a few hours.”  
  
“Right,” Tony scoffs, still smiling.  
  
Gibbs watches Tony head off towards the back porch and nods to himself a little.  
  
Sometimes he did ok.


	29. Santa's Magical Wonderland

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony flops back on the couch and gives Gibbs a naughty smile. He pats his thigh and wiggles his eyebrows.  
  
“Why don’t you come have a seat?”  
  
Gibbs smirks, tugging the Santa hat off of Tony’s head and putting it on himself before straddling Tony’s lap.  
  
“I want a pony and a rocket ship and a new Sig,” he says with mock solemnity.  
  
“Well, you _have_ been a very good boy this year,” Tony grins.  
  
“How good?” Gibbs grins back, leaning in closer.  
  
“Very, _very_ good,” Tony says, voice smoky and deep.  
  
Their lips meet almost hesitantly; small, open mouthed kisses become shallow explorations with their tongues, licking and biting at each other’s lips until finally they’re kissing deeply, passionately. Tony holds Gibbs around the waist, forcing Gibbs to arch his back and hunch his shoulders slightly to maintain contact. Gibbs’ fingers are threaded through Tony’s hair, keeping Tony’s head at just the right angle.  
  
Gibbs leans back, arms still around Tony’s neck as he smirks.  
  
“I feel like a girl,” he says, laughter bubbling up inside him and making him shake faintly as he tries to restrain it  
  
“Why, ‘cause you’re on my lap?”  
  
“This is a girl position,” Gibbs insists.  
  
“So be a girl tonight,” Tony teases, hauling Gibbs’ hips a little more snuggly against his own.  
  
“What are you thinking?” Gibbs intones.  
  
“Oh, God,” Tony laughs.  
  
“We never talk anymore, Tony. I feel like you don’t understand me.”  
  
“Shut up, shut up, I take it back!” Tony giggles, face going faintly red.  
  
“Let’s cuddle,” Gibbs bats his eyes exaggeratedly.  
  
Tony scoffs, laughter subsiding, as he holds Gibbs a little closer, “Now that I can’t argue with.”  
  
“Maybe we should switch positions.”  
  
“You’re kidding, right?” Tony shakes his head, grin wide and teasing, “ _You_ cuddle more than anyone I’ve ever been with, _ever_. You’re like a _leech_.”  
  
Gibbs frowns, “I am not.”  
  
“Are so,” Tony laughs, “I love every second of it too.”  
  
“Yeah?” Gibbs shifts, one half of his frown tilting up in a tentative smile.  
  
“Yeah,” Tony confirms, “you like to touch. It’s nice.”  
  
With a soft smile Gibbs leans down and kisses Tony again, breaking it off with a moan when Tony grabs onto Gibbs’ ass cheeks and thrusts against him faintly.  
  
“God,” Gibbs groans, scrunching his eyes shut and pressing their foreheads together, “I am the girl.”  
  
Tony cracks up laughing and reaches up to unbutton Gibbs’ shirt.  
  
“Good thing I like small tits. You’re awfully flat-chested.”  
  
With a wicked smirk he pulls Gibbs against him, hands pressed to the small of Gibbs’ back. His tongue snakes out from between his lips and laves over one of Gibbs’ nipples, teeth nipping and lips sealing over the flesh to suck hard. Gibbs gasps and thrusts, eyes falling shut.  
  
“You’re not helping my manly ego,” he half-grins, pressing his chest into Tony’s mouth.  
  
“Fuck your ego,” Tony growls, “your ego isn’t going to suck your dick.”  
  
“No,” Gibbs tilts his head to the side, eyebrows shrugging with amusement, “but that’d be a neat trick.”  
  
Tony huffs out a laugh and bites a trail across Gibbs’ chest to his other nipple, still holding Gibbs close with one hand as he brings the other around to pinch and pull at the nipple he abandoned, scraping at the sensitive flesh with a fingernail and the rough pad of his thumb.  
  
“God, the shit you do to me…” Gibbs groans, bucking as Tony drags his teeth over hardened flesh.  
  
Tony hums his amusement, going back and forth across Gibbs’ chest until Gibbs’ erection is pressed firmly against Tony’s stomach, hips thrusting with each increasingly better sensation.  
  
“On your feet,” Tony says, pushing him to stand and yanking Gibbs’ pants off.  
  
Gibbs’ dick is standing proudly at attention and Tony salutes it with an irreverent grin. Gibbs cuffs him gently and glares until Tony takes the head of Gibbs’ dick into his mouth and sucks hard.  
  
“ _Shit_.”  
  
It’s intensely good when Tony opens his mouth wide and takes Gibbs deep, reaching two fingers up and pressing them against Gibbs’ lips. Gibbs takes them into his mouth, mimicking Tony’s actions on his dick until Tony pulls them away and trails them behind Gibbs’ balls, rubbing at his hole. Gibbs grabs Tony’s other hand and gives it the same treatment as the first, making Tony moan around his dick. He loves the wet sounds they’re making, the slick, sucking noises.   
  
Tony pulls off with a slurp, wiping at his mouth, “Ok…Ok, bedroom.”  
  
He pushes Gibbs towards the stairs, yanking off his open shirt, leaving him naked.  
  
With a mischievous smirk, Gibbs jumps up on Tony who gives a startled shout, stumbling backwards as he grabs Gibbs’ thighs.  
  
“What the _hell_ , Gibbs?”  
  
“Figured if I had to be the girl I might as well go all out.”  
  
Tony turns around and presses Gibbs against the wall, kissing him hard.  
  
“You’re crazy,” Tony grins, “I love that about you.”  
  
“Ok, now put me down.”  
  
Tony tilts his head to the side, grin getting just a little wider.  
  
“I don’t know. I mean, we’ve never tried it like this.”  
  
“You’re gonna hurt yourself trying to hold me up for too long.”  
  
“It’s not like you’re fat,” Tony laughs, thrusting lazily against Gibbs.  
  
“I’m relieved to hear that,” Gibbs says dryly, “Now put me down.”  
  
“Aw, come on…let me fuck you like this.”  
  
“You’ll probably drop me,” Gibbs reasons, traitorous dick jumping at the prospect.  
  
Tony clucks his tongue, “That would be a shame.”  
  
“I’m going to hurt you before you hurt yourself,” Gibbs warns.  
  
“Is that supposed to be an incentive?” Tony laughs.  
  
“Do what I say and avoid pain? Sounds like common sense to me.”  
  
With a wincing smile Tony finally lets Gibbs down.  
  
“Couldn’t hold me up anymore, could you?” Gibbs grins teasingly.  
  
“Yeah…shut up,” Tony narrows his eyes and sticks out his tongue.  
  
“Why don’t you shut me up?” Gibbs challenges.  
  
Tony’s eyebrow shoots up, “I can think of so many ways to do that and only half of them would frighten you.”  
  
Gibbs scoffs, “That supposed to scare me?”  
  
“I hope not. I don’t want you trying to escape,” Tony leers, manhandling Gibbs upstairs into the bedroom and onto the bed.  
  
“You haven’t let me get away yet.”  
  
“Despite your valiant attempts,” Tony rolls his eyes, stripping quickly.  
  
Gibbs half-watches, leaning over to grab the lube out of the nightstand.  
  
“I keep meaning to make a break for freedom but you’re kinda distracting.”  
  
“I’m thwarting your attempts by being too sexy, aren’t I? Do you need me to tone it down?”  
  
“Not really all that concerned about succeeding.”  
  
“That’s good,” Tony grins, taking the lube and slicking up his fingers.  
  
Gibbs gets on his knees and makes a noise of growling satisfaction as a finger slides into him.  
  
“You have to promise not to use this against me,” Tony begs.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Promise.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah, fine.”  
  
“I love it when you growl.”  
  
Gibbs peers over his shoulder, catching Tony’s wide-eyed gaze.  
  
“Get to it, Tony,” he growls.  
  
Tony groans, adding another finger and some more lube.  
  
“I asked you not to use that against me.”  
  
“You didn’t really mean it.”  
  
“I _so_ didn’t,” Tony groans laughingly.  
  
By the time Tony gets up to three fingers Gibbs is thrusting back on them, feeling more than ready.  
  
“God, Tony…come _on_.”  
  
Tony pulls his fingers out and grabs Gibbs’ hips, squeezing, but he doesn’t line up and thrust in. Gibbs waits patiently for about ten seconds.  
  
“You admiring the scenery?” he snaps.  
  
With a soft snort, Tony gently pushes Gibbs onto his back, hauling Gibbs’ ass into his lap.  
  
“Missionary?” Gibbs teases.  
  
“I wanna kiss you,” Tony says softly with a small shrug, “If that makes me the girl I’m ok with it.”  
  
Gibbs reaches up, threading his fingers through Tony’s hair again.  
  
“So kiss me already.”  
  
The corners of Tony’s mouth quirk up with affection as he bends down, lining up and thrusting in as their lips and tongues meet. Gibbs groans, the wet slide of Tony’s tongue in his mouth a perfect counterpoint to Tony’s dick inside him. The kiss is sloppy, a little dirty and perfect. Gibbs wraps his legs around Tony’s waist, trying to make the thrusts deeper, harder and Tony does his best to give Gibbs what he wants.  
  
“Faster,” Gibbs grunts, unable to take the burning build of pleasure any longer.  
  
His legs are lifted up over Tony’s shoulders as Tony’s hips start to piston in and out of him, hitting him just right. Gibbs barely gets his hand around his dick before he cums and Tony follows not long after, thrusts stuttering until he stiffens, head thrown back as he groans loudly, sweat trickling down the long line of his throat.  
  
They lie in a tangle of limbs until their breath evens out, Gibbs cleaning them off with a cum splattered pillow case.  
  
Tony rolls over and hangs half off the bed as he reaches for his pants, rifling through the pockets until he finds his phone and begins texting someone. Gibbs rolls over on top of him, kissing between his shoulder blades.  
  
“What are you doing?”  
  
With a snorting laugh, Tony glances back at him, “Oh, God…you are so the girl in this relationship.”  
  
Gibbs glares, “We just had some damn good sex, so unless you’re texting an announcement about _how_ damn good it was you _should_ be over here with me.”  
  
“ _Such_ a girl,” Tony laughs.  
  
Gibbs slaps Tony’s thigh none-too-gently, making Tony yelp and buck.  
  
“I’m…checking on Jaime,” Tony admits.  
  
“Again?”  
  
“It’s his first time spending the night at Olyvia’s without Colleen. I just want to be sure he’s ok.”  
  
“I…” Gibbs sighs, “I was a little worried too.”  
  
“She keeps telling me they’re fine but…”  
  
“Yeah…”  
  
“ _Shit_ , you know?”  
  
“ _Yeah_ ,” Gibbs grimaces.  
  
The phone beeps and Tony clicks a few buttons, sighing.  
  
“She says he fell asleep watching Sesame Street.”  
  
Gibbs smiles and huffs out a small laugh and Tony glances back at him again, face full of affection.  
  
“Wanna make-out for a while?”  
  
“Sure,” Gibbs smirks.  
  
\--  
  
Tony nudges Gibbs, bumping into him gently.  
  
“What’s wrong?”  
  
“God,” Gibbs grimaces, one eye squinting shut, “I really am the girl.”  
  
“What?” Tony frowns.  
  
Gibbs gestures vaguely around at the crowd and Tony notices for the first time the curious looks and the less than friendly glares.  
  
Tony presses Jaime’s head to his shoulder, covering his other ear.   
  
“You don’t seriously care what those assholes think, do you?” he whispers, leaning close.  
  
“Hell no,” Gibbs scowls, giving one guy a particularly murderous glare in return.  
  
“So?”  
  
“I…” Gibbs points at Jaime, who’s struggling to free his head from Tony’s grip, “I don’t want him to have to deal with…you know. _That_.”  
  
“What, the stupid, small-minded bigots who need to mind their own business?” Tony says loudly, pointedly looking at two women who have been pointing and whispering with looks of disgust.  
  
“Amen,” one mother says just as loudly, bouncing her youngest on her hip.  
  
A few other people mumble their support and Tony leans into Gibbs a little with an almost shy, quirk of a smile. The looks stop for the most part after that and they make it up to the front of the line without incident. Jaime practically leaps onto Santa, screeching happily and kissing Santa’s rosy cheeks.  
  
“Balloons!” he says, when Santa asks him what he wants, “and a monster!”  
  
“A monster?” Santa laughs.  
  
“Like on Sesmee Street!”  
  
Santa winks up at Tony and Gibbs and then nods solemnly, “Will you keep being a good boy?”  
  
“Yes!” Jaime nods eagerly.  
  
“That’s what I like to hear,” Santa chuckles, “Merry Christmas, young man.”  
  
“Merry Chrismas, Sanna!” Jaime yells, jumping off of Santa’s lap and launching himself at Gibbs.  
  
“Papa! I’m gonna get balloons an’ a monster!”  
  
“I heard,” Gibbs laughs, “What kind of monster do you want?”  
  
“Blue!”  
  
“Grover?” Tony finger spells.  
  
Gibbs shrugs, signing, “Fuck if I know.”  
  
Tony snorts, “That’s what the internet’s for I guess.”  
  
Jaime clumsily signs, “Can we have pretzels?”  
  
“Hey, that was pretty good,” Tony laughs.  
  
“Abba’s teaching me.”  
  
“…crap,” Gibbs mutters.  
  
“You signed a bad word,” Jaime smiles with almost giddy amusement.  
  
“Crap,” Gibbs mutters again emphatically.  
  
“You have to do…an extra **chore**!” Jaime sing-songs, taking a deep breath in the middle to achieve extra volume, bouncing as he holds onto Gibbs’ pant leg.  
  
“ _Crap_ ,” Gibbs winces.  
  
“Snow shoveling,” Tony grins, “Shoveling the snow.”  
  
“Tony,” Gibbs pleads, “Come on…”  
  
“No way,” Tony laughs, “you made me clean out the whole garage last time.”  
  
They come to the pretzel line and Jaime sees the other half of Santa’s Magical Wonderland, complete with little train and a play area.  
  
“Oh!” he bounces, something he obviously picked up from Abby, “Papa! Papa! Look!”  
  
They glance up and Gibbs grins, “You wanna go on the train?”  
  
“Yes!” Jaime says in a worried tone, like he thinks they might say no.  
  
“Ok,” Gibbs laughs, turning to Tony, “Tell me you brought the camera.”  
  
Tony pulls it out of his pocket with a pleased grin.  
  
“You didn’t see me taking a thousand pictures when he was sliming Santa’s face? You gonna go on with him?”  
  
“Me?” Gibbs snorts, “and I wasn’t exactly paying attention to you.”  
  
Tony shrugs, “Yeah, you’re shorter than me.”  
  
“Not by _that_ much.”  
  
“Still,” Tony insists, gesturing, “No way I’m getting my legs in there.”  
  
“…yeah, alright.”  
  
Jaime makes a noise of sheer joy and practically climbs up Gibbs’ leg in his eagerness to be picked up. The second he’s in Gibbs’ arms he hugs him enthusiastically, kissing his cheek over and over.  
  
“Can we ring the bell?”  
  
“Sure,” Gibbs nods.  
  
They sit with their pretzels, choosing the benches closest to the play area so Jaime can watch the train pass by.  
  
“Jack coming down?”  
  
Gibbs nods, “Yeah, he’s already yakkin’ my ear off about it.”  
  
“You guys are talking more,” Tony observes.  
  
With a shrug, Gibbs takes a big bite.  
  
“It’s good,” Tony insists.  
  
“Yeah, I know. Just…”  
  
“What? Senior?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“I never expected him to change too much. I hear from him about once a month and honestly Gibbs that’s more than I ever hoped for. And he visits more. Jaime knows who he is at least.”  
  
Gibbs shrugs again, “He could probably stand to see more of Jack too.”  
  
“Who my dad?” Tony teases, “Yeah, it’d probably do wonders for him.”  
  
That makes Gibbs grin wickedly and then he shakes his head, sobering again, “Just feel kind of bad…”  
  
“Don’t,” Tony says emphatically, “I’m glad. I talk to Jack all the time.”  
  
“I know, he told me.”  
  
“Yeah, well,” Tony shrugs one shoulder, “I definitely got lucky when it came to in-laws.”  
  
“Colleen and Frank stopping by for Christmas Eve?”  
  
“ _Everybody’s_ stopping by for Christmas Eve. They missed out with us working last year.”  
  
That makes Gibbs pause mid-bite, “Everybody?”  
  
Tony glances at him sidelong, “Yeah, her too.”  
  
They suddenly notice Jaime watching them shrewdly.  
  
“Is Lyvia comin’ to Chrismas?” he asks.  
  
“…crap,” Gibbs winces.  
  
Tony nudges him roughly.  
  
“Yes, your _mommy_ is coming to Christmas.”  
  
“Nobody else…calls her mommy,” Jaime says, pausing awkwardly as he picks at the last of his pretzel.  
  
Tony and Gibbs look at each other.  
  
“Nobody else calls your Daddy, Daddy,” Gibbs says.  
  
“You do. You say…Go see Daddy or go help Daddy or time to tickle Daddy!” Jaime brightens a little when he mentions the tickling but quickly grows serious again, “Nobody calls Lyvia mommy.”  
  
Tony chews on his lower lip, “Do you call her Olyvia when you visit with her?”  
  
“Yes,” Jaime nods, eyes wide.  
  
“She doesn’t ask you to call her mommy?”  
  
“No,” Jaime shakes his head, looking back down at his feet.  
  
They share another worried look.  
  
“Jaime…” Tony sighs, “I want you to call Olyvia mommy, ok?”  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because…because she’s your mommy,” he finishes lamely.  
  
Jaime frowns a little.  
  
“At least try ok? For me?” Tony smiles hopefully.  
  
“Ok…” Jaime says sullenly.  
  
“You ready to go on the train?” Gibbs asks, tossing their trash into the bin.  
  
Jaime brightens instantly.  
  
“Yeah!”  
  
Gibbs struggles to keep him in his seat as they sit in the small car and Jaime rings the bell incessantly.  
  
“Make train noises with me, Papa!” Jaime bounces, squirming next to Gibbs, “Chugga- chugga, chugga-chugga….Papa! Come on!”  
  
Gibbs muffles a groan and does his best to ignore the amused mother sitting across from him.  
  
“Choo-choo!”  
  
\--  
  
The faint scrape of chair legs on tile travels across the house.  
  
“Jaime Addison Gibbs-DiNozzo,” Gibbs barks from the living room, struggling with the garland, “don’t you _dare_ touch those cookies!”  
  
Tony leans back, glancing at the kitchen, “Get in here and help us with the decorations, kiddo!”  
  
“One cookie!” Jaime begs.  
  
“…damn near ran out of breath,” Gibbs mumbles, raising his voice to yell, “No cookies!”  
  
“Stop it,” Tony admonishes, “We agreed…”  
  
“You made me agree…”  
  
“Half a cookie?” Jaime pleads.  
  
“ _No_ , Jaime!” Tony yells, turning back to Gibbs, “Like you ever do anything you don’t want to…”  
  
“His name’s bigger than he is…”  
  
“I heard you the first time you said it when we changed it,” Tony snaps, “You signed the paperwork too, remember?”  
  
“Under duress.”  
  
“Because what, I had a gun to your head? He’s _our_ son, he has _our_ names.”  
  
Gibbs growls under his breath and turns towards the kitchen.  
  
“Christ, I can _hear him_ pouting.”  
  
“…Jaime, the cookies are for after dinner,” Tony calls, “Daddy will make hot cocoa too, ok? And we’ll watch Rudolph.”  
  
Jaime shuffles into the doorway; arms crossed and lower lip quivering.  
  
“And Frosty?”  
  
“And Frosty,” Tony promises.  
  
“Can we sing Chrismas songs?”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “Wouldn’t you like to listen to it on the radio instead?”  
  
“I like…I like when you sing,” Jaime insists, pulling on his curls, “like when you tuck me in.”  
  
“You going to sing with us?” Tony grins.  
  
Jaime nods, biting his lip and swinging his little body from side to side.  
  
“Can we sing…can we…can we sing the Sanna song?”  
  
“How does it go?” Gibbs asks, shrugging at Tony’s raised eyebrow.  
  
“ _Sanna Clause is coming to tooooown_!” Jaime grins.  
  
“Ok, kiddo. Come help us put up the decorations and we’ll sing.”  
  
\--  
  
They sag into the couch and admire their handiwork, Jaime fast asleep between them. Tony’s head is on Gibbs’ shoulder and he peers up at Gibbs, smiling happily.  
  
“This never gets old.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Having a family to spend Christmas with.”  
  
Gibbs looks down at him, cupping Tony’s cheek and stroking a thumb over his cheekbone.  
  
“That’s good.”  
  
Tony’s eyelids flutter shut and he sighs.  
  
“We should get to bed.”  
  
Gibbs tilts his head to rest on Tony’s.  
  
“Let’s sit a little longer.”  
  
\--  
  
The front door opens and Tony winces when he hears his father saying something snappishly to Jack.  
  
He straightens his shoulders and heads down the stairs.  
  
“Dad! Jack!”  
  
“Hello, Junior!”  
  
“How are you, son?”  
  
“Hey, Dad,” Tony grins, “I’m good, Jack. It’s great to see you.”  
  
“Where’s my grandson?” Senior grins back, glancing around.  
  
“Gibbs is picking him up from Rose’s. He was out that way checking up on a lead anyway, so he thought he’d save her the trip.”  
  
“Looks like we’ll be bunking together again,” Jack laughs, clapping Senior hard on the back.  
  
Senior pulls Tony aside and shoots Jack a falsely sincere smile.  
  
“Junior…honestly, I’d rather share a room with Jaime if you don’t mind.”  
  
“Are you sure? I mean, it’s not like he wakes up in the middle of the night anymore but you’re not going to get to sleep in…”  
  
“That’s fine,” Senior assures him, “I don’t know that my shins can take the _abuse_ of sharing a room with Jack again.”  
  
Tony frowns and then barks out a laugh, quickly covering his mouth, eyes wide with surprise and amusement.  
  
“It’s not funny, Junior,” Senior says, looking wounded.  
  
“No, I’m sorry,” Tony shakes his head, “Do you want me to talk to him?”  
  
“No, no that’s fine. Just…”  
  
“Yeah, no, I’ll set your cot up in there,” Tony nods.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
Tony gives his father a brief hug and winks at Jack, trying to restrain himself from grinning.  
  
When Gibbs comes home with Jaime Tony pulls him aside, unable to contain the grin or the laughter any longer.  
  
“What?” Gibbs asks with amusement.  
  
“Your dad can totally beat up my dad,” Tony chokes out, trying to muffle his laughter.  
  
“ _What_?” Gibbs chuckles with surprise.  
  
“When we put them in the den together last time Jack… _accidentally_ kept hitting my dad with his cane.”  
  
Gibbs cracks up and covers his mouth, snorting from the effort.  
  
“He told you that?”  
  
“My dad asked to share a room with the kiddo.”  
  
Gibbs clamps his hand even more firmly over his mouth and presses his face into Tony’s shoulder, body shaking with mirth.  
  
“What’s funny?” Jaime asks, bouncing and grinning.  
  
“Hey, Grampa and G-Pa are in the kitchen, kiddo,” Tony deflects, “why don’t you go say hi?”  
  
Jaime’s eyes get impossibly wide and he screams happily, taking off like a shot.  
  
“G-Pa! Grampa!”  
  
Tony hears Jack’s laughter and Senior’s exclamation of surprise as Jaime no doubt has collided with him forcefully.  
  
Gibbs manages to get himself under control after a second and shakes his head.  
  
“I can’t believe my dad hit your dad.”  
  
“Really?” Tony scoffs.  
  
Gibbs snorts and shrugs, “Yeah, well…still.”  
  
“If he had the shotgun he’d probably threaten him with it.”  
  
“You sure he hasn’t?”  
  
With a faint frown Tony glances at the kitchen.  
  
“Ok, it’s only funny if he doesn’t _actually_ hurt my father.”  
  
“Eh,” Gibbs tilts his head, “he’d survive.”  
  
\--  
  
The heater gives out Christmas Eve after all the guests have left and everyone’s hunkered down for the night.  
  
Tony goes and makes a fire in the den, dropping another comforter on top of Jack while Gibbs digs the space heaters out of the garage.  
  
“You going to be ok down here?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jack nods, shuffling further under the covers.  
  
Tony double checks the carbon monoxide alarm in the den and the fire alarm in the hall before squeezing Jack’s shoulder and heading up to check on Jaime and Senior.  
  
Jaime is curled up on the cot with Senior who raises an eyebrow with amusement.  
  
“He crawled in as soon as you left. I hope that’s alright.”  
  
Tony chuckles, crouching down to kiss Jaime’s temple and stroke his hair, “Yeah, it’s fine. You sure you don’t want me to put him back in his own bed?”  
  
“I don’t mind really.”  
  
“Ok.”  
  
Gibbs pauses in the doorway, smile tugging at his mouth as he looks to Tony for an explanation. Tony signs that he’ll explain later and Gibbs quirks his head, moving to set up the space heater.  
  
“So what was that?” he asks, as soon as their bedroom door is shut.  
  
“Jaime climbed in with him as soon as I left the room apparently. What surprises me more is that my dad was ok with it.”  
  
“Huh.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Surprises me too, is all.”  
  
“I think we’re developing telepathy,” Tony grins.  
  
“Why?”  
  
“Because I can _hear you_ thinking bad things about my dad. Like…maybe the son-of-a-bitch is finally getting soft in his old age?”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow in surprise, “…telepathy, huh?”  
  
“How close was I?”  
  
“Pretty damn.”  
  
Tony grins, “Come on, I’m freezing. Let’s cuddle.”  
  
They bundle up - socks, pyjama bottoms and t-shirts – before wrapping around each other under the covers.  
  
“I’m beginning to think you’re a jinx when it comes to houses,” Gibbs grumbles.  
  
“ _What_? Why?”  
  
“Wasn’t the heater in your place always breaking? Or the boiler? Or some damn thing or another. You were always holed up in my guest room. My heater hasn’t broken down in twenty years, you move in and it’s done it twice now.”  
  
“I’m a Bermuda triangle of charm, Gibbs. The turbulent energies required to maintain these levels of awesome have negative effects on machinery and delicate technology. It’s why the Probester is always fixing my computer.”  
  
“Thought that was because you kept accidentally deleting things you shouldn’t when you ran your Spyware…thing.”  
  
Tony snuggles a little closer, “Yeah, that too. Anyway…”  
  
“What?” Gibbs jostles him.  
  
“Quit it!” Tony laughs, “…stuff didn’t break down um…you know…quite as much as I said it did.”  
  
With a small frown, Gibbs pulls back to look at Tony’s face.  
  
“You _lied_? _Why_?”  
  
“Because I liked spending time with you. I figured you kind of… _knew_.”  
  
“I…” Gibbs shakes his head, “I thought it was a little weird but I didn’t think you…”  
  
“I always liked being around you,” Tony shrugs, pulling Gibbs close again.  
  
“Even when I was being a bastard?”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony nods, kissing Gibbs’ chin, “Always.”  
  
\--  
  
They had filled the entire living room with balloons the night before after tucking Jaime into bed. As soon as he sees them Jaime goes very still, eyes wide.  
  
“There’s so many,” he whispers.  
  
Tony kneels down; taking Jaime’s little hand in his own bigger one.  
  
“Well, that’s because you were _such_ a good boy,” Tony whispers back.  
  
“How do I say thank you to Sanna?” Jaime asks, unable to tear his eyes away.  
  
Tony bites his lip and looks up at Gibbs.  
  
“You can send him a thank you card in the mail,” Gibbs says solemnly, “Good manners.”  
  
Jaime nods, “You…you have to say thank you when people do nice things.”  
  
“Very good,” Senior laughs.  
  
Jack shuffles into the room, peering up the stairs at everyone else.  
  
“Are y’all gonna stand up there all day or get down here and enjoy Christmas?”  
  
Jaime carefully scoots down the stairs on his butt, holding on to the slats of the railing as he goes. As soon as his feet hit the floor he barrels into the balloons with a happy shriek.  
  
“He asked for balloons?” Senior asks with a wide grin.  
  
“Balloons and a monster,” Tony confirms.  
  
“Like on Sesame Street,” Gibbs smirks.  
  
“I got him a Cookie Monster and a Grover,” Tony says lowly, shrugging at Gibbs’ raised eyebrow, “they were both blue. I didn’t know which one Jaime meant.”  
  
Gibbs gets a new knife with a horse inlay on the handle and a new power drill with a rocket sticker slapped on the side from Tony. The Sig Tony gives him in private, away from Jaime’s observant eyes.  
  
Tony gets a new portable DVD player and a bunch of Christmas classics he somehow hadn’t managed to acquire yet from Gibbs. Tony immediately pops them in to the DVD player on the TV, smiling when Jack grunts his approval over _It’s a Wonderful Life_.  
  
Jaime also gets a toy train that he immediately starts forcing Gibbs to make train noises for and a few other small gifts. Jack hands Jaime a sloppily wrapped box with a cap gun, a cowboy hat, boots and a small hobby horse inside.   
  
“Never could figure out how to fold the paper,” he mutters.  
  
Jaime refuses to take the hat and boots off for about a month except for his bath – and even then only grudgingly.   
  
Senior presents Jaime with a bike with training wheels and a big red bow on the handlebars which Jaime ends up tying the hobby horse to.  
  
“He always was good at the grand gestures,” Tony snorts into Gibbs’ ear.  
  
Jack and Tony make a big dinner, listening to Gibbs and Senior as they entertain Jaime. Abby calls from Greg’s parents’ apologizing for letting her boyfriend steal her away without a hint of actual remorse in her voice. She makes Gibbs put her on speaker phone and as soon as Jaime hears her they begin a rapid-fire conversation, Jaime’s little fingers unconsciously stuttering out signs as he tells his Abba all about his presents.  
  
“Why the hell are you teaching my kid how to sign curse words?” Gibbs snarls at her when she starts her goodbyes.  
  
“To get you in trouble!” Abby laughs and hangs up.  
  
“G-Pa,” Jaime says at dinner.  
  
“Yes?” Senior answers distractedly.  
  
Jaime bites his lip and Senior looks up.  
  
“Yes, Jaime?”  
  
“…I missed you,” Jaime says finally, getting up and crawling into Senior’s lap.  
  
Tony stares carefully at his plate, not trusting himself to look up at his father’s face until Gibbs nudges him discreetly. Jaime’s curled up on Senior’s lap and Senior is patting his back gently, hugging him close with the other hand.  
  
“Well, I missed you too,” Senior says thickly.  
  
It makes Tony swallow hard and blink fiercely. It hurts to hear Jaime say what he wanted to for all those years and it hurts to hear his father say it in return when he’d never said it to Tony. Tony had gotten his apology but the apology didn’t mean as much as knowing that his father cared.  
  
Later, when Jaime’s tucked into his own bed, Senior reaches out and grabs Tony’s hand.  
  
“Come…come sit with me a minute, Junior.”  
  
“Yeah, Dad?”  
  
Senior can’t seem to look at him. He stares at the floor in silence a moment before wrapping an arm around Tony’s shoulders and hugging him tight.  
  
“I’m…I’m not going to miss anymore Christmases.”  
  
“Ok,” Tony whispers uncertainly.  
  
“Or birthdays. Or Thanksgivings.”  
  
“Ok.”  
  
Tony suddenly feels eight years old again, listening to his father awkwardly trying to explain that mommy isn’t coming home except this time the hurt has an edge of hope to it. His father holds him for a while in a way Tony can’t ever remember him doing and it occurs to Tony that maybe his father can’t remember either. Maybe he’s finally as tired of letting Tony down as Tony is of being let down.  
  
When he climbs into bed with Gibbs he falls straight to sleep thinking he finally got the only present he’d ever really wanted.


	30. Six Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Gibbs sits with his head propped up by one hand, the other clutching the crappy motel phone to his ear.  
  
“Come on, Tony,” he mutters, “Pick up the phone.”  
  
Three days. Three days he’s been gone on assignment and Tony hasn’t answered the phone once. He’s had to call Rose to make sure everything’s ok and all she’ll tell him is that he’d better talk to Tony.  
  
“Damn it!” he snarls, slamming the phone back into the cradle.  
  
It makes him ache to lie in this too big bed not knowing, from Tony’s own lips, that everything’s alright. Obviously something is wrong and he’d have to be particularly thick to not know that it’s because he took yet another assignment that could land him anything from a stay at the hospital, to a commendation with another shiny medal he doesn’t want, to a final nap on Ducky’s slab.  
  
He hadn’t promised not to. He’d never said he would stop doing his job but in the back of his mind he knows that when he kissed Tony, when he said he wanted to be a part of his life there had been an unspoken agreement that all this would stop. That he’d stop being reckless with his safety.  
  
When he walks in the door again he can only hope that Tony doesn’t kick him right back out.  
  
It’s another three days where none of his phone calls are answered before he can go home. He slinks in the door like a dog that knows it’s done wrong and the look on Tony’s face goes from relieved to livid in the blink of an eye.  
  
Jaime jumps up off the floor where he’s playing with his stacking blocks and launches himself into Gibbs’ legs.  
  
“Papa!”  
  
“Hey, kiddo.”  
  
Gibbs picks him up and hugs him tight, kissing his cheek.  
  
“I missed you.”  
  
“Where did you go?” Jaime asks, tone upset and face twisted into a worried frown.  
  
“Had to go somewhere for work.”  
  
“Daddy said work but where for work? Why were you gone so long? Why…?”  
  
“Jaime, Papa and I have to talk. Why don’t you go play in your room?”  
  
“But I…”  
  
“Jaime,” Tony says sternly, “Go to your _room_.”  
  
Gibbs puts him down and Jaime stomps off to his room, slamming the door with all the force his little almost five year old body can muster.  
  
Tony stalks forward, all restrained anger and worry, getting right into Gibbs’ face.  
  
“Are you alright?”  
  
Gibbs lifts his shirt, revealing bandages.  
  
“Just a graze.”  
  
He’s never felt so ashamed to reveal an injury in his life. He can’t quite meet Tony’s eyes as the other man inspects the wound.  
  
“Anything else?”  
  
“Got a knock to the head, no concussion. Couple of scrapes and bruises. I’m retiring.”  
  
Tony’s head snaps up, eyes gone wide.  
  
“What?”  
  
“I’m retiring,” Gibbs repeats, choking on the lump in his throat.  
  
“Gibbs…”  
  
“My knee gave out while I was going after the guy. I couldn’t keep up,” he reaches out for Tony, pulling him closer, “And even if it hadn’t…Christ, Tony, six days was too long.”  
  
“I…God, Gibbs, you love your job.”  
  
“Love you more.”  
  
Tony looks heartbroken and Gibbs kisses him.  
  
“Don’t do this for me.”  
  
“I’m not. I’m doing it for Jaime too.”  
  
“Couldn’t you just…”  
  
“You know I can’t,” Gibbs shakes his head, “If I’m there I’ll keep pushing it.”  
  
“So that’s it?”  
  
“All or nothing,” Gibbs shrugs.  
  
“At least think about it…”  
  
“Nothing to think about. Resignation is already on the Director’s desk. I’m giving it another month; give everybody some time to adjust. Then it’s your team again.”  
  
Tony’s eyes are brimming with tears and he shakes his head, “I don’t want this…”  
  
“It was gonna happen eventually.”  
  
Tony presses their foreheads together and lets out a shaky sigh, “I’m sorry I didn’t pick up I was just so _mad_ …”  
  
“Don’t apologize…”  
  
“I know. Weakness.”  
  
“No,” Gibbs growls, “Because you were right to be angry. I shouldn’t have gone. Especially not by myself.”  
  
“And if one of those calls had been the last time I ever spoke to you?”  
  
Gibbs turns his face away, Tony’s head falling to his shoulder.  
  
“That would’ve been my fault for going in the first place.”  
  
“Still pretty childish of me.”  
  
“Yeah, well, you’re an idiot.”  
  
Tony huffs out a laugh, sniffling, “Let’s go tuck Jaime into bed so I can rip your clothes off.”  
  
“Uh…” Gibbs grimaces, “Take it easy on me.”  
  
Tony nods and lets out a sobbing breath, yanking Gibbs into a fierce embrace.  
  
“I was so fucking worried, I just couldn’t listen to you tell me everything was fine when I knew it might not be. I couldn’t stand not being there to have your back, to make sure you were alright…” Tony rambles.  
  
“Shh…” Gibbs soothes, rubbing hands up and down his back, “It’s ok. I’m here. I’m here.”  
  
“I know…I know I just…” Tony kisses him, face wet and hands shaking, “I love you.”  
  
Gibbs sighs and swipes at Tony’s face with his shirt sleeve, “I love you too…let me…I’ll go tuck Jaime into bed. I’ll be with you in a minute.”  
  
Tony nods, obviously a little embarrassed as he turns away.  
  
“Hey…” Gibbs grabs his arm, kissing his cheek, “it’s…it’s ok.”  
  
Tony snorts softly and kisses him again, close-mouthed and gentle, “I’m just being a girl, I’m fine.”  
  
“Don’t say that to Abby, she’ll have you in make-up before you can blink.”  
  
They laugh a little, tension breaking and Tony sniffles again, “Let me apologize to the kid before you tuck him in.”  
  
“You sure? Could probably wait until tomorrow.”  
  
“I won’t be able to sleep if I don’t.”  
  
With Jaime tucked in, they finally lay in bed, wrapped around each other, hands searching, lips re-familiarizing themselves with the others’.  
  
When they can’t stay awake any longer Gibbs pulls up the covers and Tony presses his ear to Gibbs’ chest to count his heartbeats like sheep and whispers “Welcome home” into his skin.  
  
\--  
  
  
“How can he seem so fine? How is he not crying or…”  
  
“Because we raised him to be stronger than that, Tony.”  
  
Gibbs smacks him upside the head and Tony bites back a chuckle.  
  
“Yes, Boss.”  
  
“Not boss anymore.”  
  
Tony’s smile fades slightly and he takes Gibbs’ hand as Jaime’s bus pulls away, both of them waving though Jaime seems too preoccupied to notice.  
  
“How um…how are you holding up with that?”  
  
“Knew I’d retire someday,” Gibbs reminds him.  
  
“You still have a few good years left in you,” Tony insists, still trying to get Gibbs to change his mind about the whole thing.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs says, “Probably.”  
  
“So…”  
  
“Better to retire now when I want to retire than in a few years when it becomes obvious I need to.”  
  
Tony’s eyes flicker to Gibbs’ knees and he sighs, “I think I just miss having you around.”  
  
“Well, of course you do, DiNozzo,” Gibbs says with that ever familiar biting tone.  
  
It makes Tony grin and shake his head, “You’re just going to sit around wasting your talent then, huh?”  
  
Gibbs slaps his ass and ducks away, trotting up the steps to the front door.  
  
“Never said that,” he smirks.  
  
Tony gives him a small glare and Gibbs waves.  
  
“Have a good day at work.”  
  
With a roll of his eyes, Tony nods and waves back.  
  
\--  
  
The shelter is always bustling, always full of barely controlled chaos. His first day there gives him a headache that Tony spends two hours rubbing and kissing away when he gets home.  
  
The second day sees him tending to a surly teenaged boy with more bruises than not. Gibbs chokes down the urge to find the kid’s father and strangle him.  
  
The days blend after that but the faces don’t. Each one becomes emblazoned on Gibbs’ brain, a long trail of runaways and street-wise street urchins that all need his help.  
  
For a while Tony thinks he’s crazy. He can’t understand why Gibbs would pick this, would choose to have a job like this, even part time. At first Gibbs isn’t sure himself but then one day he starts thinking it might be about steps.  
  
When he joined NCIS he didn’t need revenge, he needed a purpose. He needed to put the bad guys behind bars. He knew now that others had taken up that torch; that others always would. It wasn’t that he stopped worrying or that the urge to see justice done was gone. He knew it never would be but he couldn’t keep dodging bullets for the rest of his life.  
  
Gibbs also knew that he could never have a desk job and he’d sure as hell never be happy working retail or anything like that. It wasn’t about the paycheck it was about the satisfaction of making a difference.  
  
But there were steps to it, Gibbs was sure about that. This was the next, if not the final one. This was something he’d never gotten to enjoy in his work as a Special Agent. In his work at the shelter Gibbs got to help people survive.  
  
There was something important about that. Maybe it was because Shannon and Kelly hadn’t. Maybe it was the weight of having to deal with so many others who hadn’t survived over the years or a combination of the two. It was a little bit of a relief to come in every day and know that there would never again be a call to a grisly murder scene for him to stomach. Even if the kids were rough around the edges, even if the mothers were touch-shy and jittery, even when some half-feral kid threw punches it was still all like a vacation compared to dead marines and bombings and clearance levels.  
  
The best part was seeing it through start to finish. A wary-eyed girl who couldn’t stand to be touched might walk in one day looking for a warm meal and six or seven weeks later she’s smiling as she helps do the laundry.  
  
The results weren’t always big or flashy or impressive but they were there.   
  
And they always, _always_ mattered.


	31. Better

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

“Hey,” Tony says softly into the dark room, “you awake?”  
  
Gibbs groans and rolls over, closing his eyes against the light from the hallway.  
  
“ _What_?” he snaps out miserably.  
  
“ _Papa_ , your son has brought you some soup and juice.”  
  
Stifling another groan into the pillows, Gibbs waves weakly.  
  
“Wait a second, kiddo, let me get Papa propped up, ok?”  
  
Tony leans over him, kisses his temple and then his cheek, rubbing his back with soothing circles.  
  
“You need to eat something, babe.”  
  
“ _Babe_?”  
  
“Sweetie, sugar, love of my life,” Tony grins, nuzzling his nose into Gibbs’ hair.  
  
“Ok, _honey_.”  
  
Tony grabs all the pillows and creates a comfy little nest for Gibbs to sag into. Jaime carefully carries the tray over and Tony settles it into Gibbs’ lap, unfolding the napkin with a flourish and a brilliant grin, tucking it into Gibbs’ shirt collar.  
  
Without making a single sound Jaime crawls up onto the bed, sitting in the far corner with wide green eyes and messy, dark curls.  
  
“You ok?” Gibbs grunts gently.  
  
Jaime nods.  
  
“You afraid of my germs or something?”  
  
Jaime shakes his head.  
  
“So what are you doing all the way over there?”  
  
“…are you ok, Papa?”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “Yeah, just a little sick.”  
  
“You’ve never been sick before,” Jaime says softly.  
  
Tony scoffs, “He’s too stubborn to be sick.”  
  
He quiets Gibbs’ grumbling with a kiss to the top of his head and a squeeze of his sore neck muscles.  
  
“I’ll be fine,” Gibbs reassures him, “I’ll get better faster if you give me a hug.”  
  
Tony nods and hugs Gibbs, crooking a finger at his son to draw him closer.  
  
Jaime looks between them, seeming to weigh something and finally crawling over very slowly to wrap his arms gently around Gibbs’ neck.  
  
“I’m not gonna break,” Gibbs laughs.  
  
“I know,” Jaime says stubbornly.  
  
When he pulls away he pets Gibbs’ cheek and settles next to him to watch him eat.  
  
Gibbs just chuckles and shakes his head, eating with more vigor than he thought he possessed at the moment. He’d been feeling kitten weak for the last three days, retching for the first two and shaking with fever and chills all last night. He’d barely choked down some toast this morning but it seemed at least he’d gotten his appetite back.  
  
“Hey, kiddo,” Tony says, “it’s four thirty, isn’t your favorite show on?”  
  
Jaime’s head shoots up and he glances at Gibbs uncertainly. With a soft laugh, Gibbs holds out his cheek for a kiss and, once getting it, nods Jaime out of the room.  
  
“Go on, I won’t go anywhere.”  
  
They watch him scramble out of the room and listen for the TV downstairs before Tony starts laughing.  
  
“I don’t know who he gets that from but it’s fucking adorable.”  
  
Gibbs shakes his head and snorts, “He gets it from you. You’ve been handling me with goddamned kid gloves for a week now.”  
  
“If you’d just let me take care of you when you first started getting sick you wouldn’t be laid up like this,” Tony admonishes.  
  
“Yeah…” Gibbs waves him off.  
  
“Drink all of your juice,” Tony orders with a threatening finger before shuffling off.  
  
When he comes back a few minutes later he has a basin of soapy water, a washcloth, a towel and a change of clothes.  
  
“You are _not_ giving me a sponge bath.”  
  
“Stop being a jackass,” Tony snaps, “I practically had to hold your dick for you in the bathroom this morning.”  
  
Gibbs scowls at the memory of how he’d had to sit just to piss, his shaky knees barely supporting him, the way he’d sagged against Tony.  
  
Tony sighs and sets everything aside, framing Gibbs’ face with his hands and kissing him firmly.  
  
“You take care of me every time I’m sick and I suck it up. Let me return the favor.”  
  
Gibbs glares but acquiesces.  
  
It feels good to get out of the smelly, sweat soaked clothes he’s been wearing for the last two days. Tony lets him do most of his own washing, the soapy water feeling obscenely good on his itchy skin. Tony looks up at him with amused affection as he washes Gibbs’ legs and feet, kissing the insides of his knees and resting his cheek on Gibbs’ thigh as Gibbs cards fingers through Tony’s hair.  
  
“Daddy?” Jaime calls from downstairs.  
  
“Yeah, kiddo?”  
  
“Abba is here with Gee!”  
  
“I’ll be down in a minute!”  
  
They get Gibbs dry and dressed and Tony changes the sheets after making sure Gibbs gets to the bathroom ok.  
  
“I’m going to bring you some water and you’d better drink it, damn it.”  
  
“Yeah, yeah…”  
  
Tony kisses him again and sighs, “Love you.”  
  
“Love you too, _honey_.”  
  
Tony kisses him once more, stroking his cheek, “You know, he does get it from me. Shit.”  
  
Gibbs laughs and settles down, feeling better than he has in a week.  
  
“You gonna let the sick guy get some rest or what?”  
  
“Better go make sure _Abba_ and _Gee_ haven’t stolen our child.”  
  
With a soft snort, Gibbs rolls over and promptly falls asleep. Tony trots down the stairs and raises an eyebrow at the boxes of take-out food on his coffee table.  
  
“Uh…what’s up, guys?”  
  
“Thought we’d save you the trouble of cooking,” Abby grins, smooching on Jaime’s cheek.  
  
Jaime grins and scrunches up his face, a drumstick in each little fist.  
  
“Hey, King Henry,” Tony laughs, “make sure to chew, then swallow, ok?”  
  
Jaime takes a big bite and somehow chews despite still grinning hugely.  
  
“Hey, Tony,” McGee says as he comes back into the room from the kitchen with plates and napkins.  
  
“Hey, McGee. Everything at work ok?”  
  
“Yeah, cold cases. How’s Gibbs?”  
  
“Grumpy. Asleep.”  
  
“He’s sick,” Jaime says solemnly around a mouthful of chicken.  
  
“But he’s getting better, right?” McGee says sweetly, ruffling Jaime’s hair.  
  
Jaime nods, “Yeah, he needs hugs to make him feel better. You have to hug him before you go home.”  
  
Abby laughs and squeezes him a little, “Only if he’s awake, ok baby? He needs sleep more than hugs.”  
  
Ziva storms in, McGee holds out the box marked ‘K’ for ‘Kosher’ and she snatches it up before dropping down on the couch heavily.  
  
“Traffic,” she mutters darkly.  
  
“Wondered what took you so long,” McGee says after sipping from his drink.  
  
“Hello, Jaime.”  
  
“Hi Aunty Ziva.”  
  
She shoots him a small, pleased grin before tucking into her food. Tony had started Jaime calling her Aunty and despite her initial protests she really quite liked it.  
  
They chat about work and Jaime goes back to watching TV. Abby curls up against Ziva and seems ridiculously pleased when Ziva doesn’t shoot her a dirty look. McGee shoves Tony with a mischievous grin when the older man makes a crack about his new girlfriend.  
  
“I’m just saying, McGee, I’ve never met her so I have reason to doubt her existence. And she’s _Canadian_. That’s always suspect.”  
  
“She’s _from_ Canada, Tony, she’s been living in the US for ten years now. She’s a systems analyst and you’ll meet her as soon as she gets back from the conference in Atlanta. _Please_ be nice.”  
  
Tony holds up his hands, “I make no promises. I mean, I’m very protective of you Probie. I have to make sure she’s not going to shatter your heart into a million geeky pieces.”  
  
“Right,” McGee says disbelievingly.  
  
Ziva yawns and stretches, “I am beat. I’ll see you tomorrow.”  
  
“Night, Ziva. Jaime, say goodnight.”  
  
“Night Aunty Ziva!”  
  
Jaime waves wildly but doesn’t tear his eyes away from the cartoons on the TV.  
  
“Well, he’s definitely your son,” Ziva smirks, patting Tony’s shoulder.  
  
Suddenly Jaime is on his feet, “You have to hug Papa!”  
  
“What?” Ziva blinks.  
  
“Papa needs hugs to make him feel better!” Jaime insists.  
  
Tony puts his head in his hands and opens his mouth to argue but Ziva cuts him off with an amused look.  
  
“I’ll go see if he’s awake,” Tony winces.  
  
At the bottom of the stairs he pauses, “And if he’s not I’m not waking him up, understand?”  
  
Jaime nods and trots after him, following quietly.  
  
The room is twice as dark from the blackout curtains but Tony just waits for his eyes to adjust with the aid of the faint light from the hallway, motioning for Jaime to wait in the doorway.  
  
“Jethro?”  
  
“Yeah?” Gibbs inhales deeply, rolling over.  
  
“Damn.”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
“You’re awake.”  
  
“Yeah…” Gibbs snorts with confusion, “been awake for ten minutes or so. You having a party down there?”  
  
“Ziva showed up too. They brought food. We ate it. Jaime seems to think you need hugs to get better.”  
  
With a groan and a pained smile, Gibbs thuds his head back into the pillows.  
  
“Bet you didn’t think _that_ would come back to bite you in the butt, huh?”  
  
“Do I have to?” Gibbs grumbles.  
  
“You want to tell him you lied?” Tony asks lowly.  
  
“…damnit.”  
  
He struggles to sit up and scrubs his face with one hand.  
  
“Where do you think you’re going?”  
  
“I’m not having a _team cuddle_ in my bed,” Gibbs snaps, “Not even for old time’s sake.”  
  
“Like you ever did more than smack everybody around,” Tony snorts, “Have you _ever_ hugged McGee? I mean, ever?”  
  
“…once? Maybe…hell, if I know.”  
  
“Papa?”  
  
“Yeah, I’m coming.”  
  
“Go wait downstairs, kiddo.”  
  
“He’s coming!” Jaime calls down to their guests.  
  
“Christ,” Gibbs mutters.  
  
“At least you’re wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt already. And you don’t smell anymore.”  
  
Gibbs makes a face at him and they shuffle downstairs, Tony close but not touching.  
  
“Hey,” Gibbs nods.  
  
“Hey, Gibbs,” Abby grins, hugging him carefully, “how are the kids?”  
  
“Good. Shelter’s busy.”  
  
“You owe me a little quality time in the near future,” she narrows her eyes, poking his shoulder.  
  
“How about you take me bowling with the nuns?”  
  
She grins broadly, “They’ll like that.”  
  
Ziva smiles warmly, putting her hands on his shoulders, “How are you feeling?”  
  
“Ok,” he smirks faintly, “Thanks for the soup.”  
  
Ziva glances at Tony with a raised eyebrow but Gibbs shakes his head, “I know your cooking, David.”  
  
With a pleased nod Ziva hugs him, “Well, you are welcome. I’m glad you enjoyed it.”  
  
McGee is a little pink in the cheeks as he hugs Gibbs, a goofy smile playing across his lips as he nods at Gibbs’ amusement.  
  
“Uh…”  
  
“Good to see you too, McGee.”  
  
“Well, uh…”  
  
“Night, McGee.”  
  
McGee shakes his head, grinning, “Night, Gibbs. Take care.”  
  
Ziva and McGee shuffle off but Abby begins to clean up, hiding a pleased smile.  
  
“What?” Gibbs growls.  
  
“Nothing Papa Bear,” she says liltingly as she leaves the room.  
  
“Let’s get you back to bed,” Tony whispers in Gibbs’ ear.  
  
“Think I might watch a little TV. Give Abby some of that quality time she’s always nagging me for.”  
  
“You sure?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs smiles, “Feeling a lot better.”


	32. Things Jaime Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Jaime knows that Aunty Ziva is a trained assassin even though she told him not to tell Papa and Daddy that he knows because it would upset them. He’s not sure why they would be upset about him knowing at first because it’s pretty cool. Then one day while they’re out – she’s taking him to lunch and then a movie - a bad guy runs out of a store, shooting at people and Aunty Ziva shoots him dead.  
  
After that he doesn’t think it’s very cool anymore.  
  
But she shows him how to throw knives and how to be safe with them. His Daddy tries to argue but Papa just gives Aunty Ziva a scary look that makes her swallow hard and shift nervously. It’s a warning, Jaime knows that, but Papa lets her do it and Jaime wonders how tough his Papa must be to scare a trained assassin.  
  
And he wonders if a trained assassin - _who’s killed people_ \- is afraid of his Papa then what has his Papa done?  
  
\--  
  
Jaime knows all about rigging. He knows the difference between the fore and the aft. He knows a skiff, from a yacht, from a canoe, from a schooner.  
  
His Papa mumbles curses a lot when they go sailing but that’s mostly because his Daddy goofs around too much, singing 'Pirates of Penzance' and quoting movies. It’s never angry cursing, like when Daddy comes home beat up from work. It’s more amused and when Daddy isn’t looking Papa smiles at him and shakes his head like something’s funny but not necessarily what Daddy’s doing - which is a little confusing.  
  
Jaime knows that the boat is named Kelly after his sister because his Daddy told him so. He told Jaime that Papa used to be married to a beautiful lady and they had a beautiful daughter but they died a long time ago. Because Papa loved her and missed her so much he named the boat after her.  
  
Sometimes Jaime looks at her picture on the mantle and thinks he would’ve liked her a lot.  
  
\--  
  
Jaime knows that his Daddy’s job is dangerous. They’ve visited everyone on Daddy’s team in the hospital more than once and they’ve visited Daddy there a bunch of times too. It scares Jaime sometimes, even if Papa tries to make it seem like everything’s going to be ok. Mostly it scares him because when Papa thinks Jaime’s not looking he looks just as scared as Jaime feels.


	33. Happy Birthday Jaime!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Abby throws handfuls of black, glittery skull-shaped confetti in the air over them as soon as she walks in the door, laughing joyously at the way Gibbs scrunches up his face with a tolerant smirk and Jaime bounces, reaching down to scoop some back up and throw it in the air again.  
  
“Happy Birthday, J-Man! You’re nine!”  
  
“Abba, Daddy is going to take me to the store and let me pick out which cake I want and we’re going to have balloons and then Neill and Dana and Ricky and Bitty Bobby and Tammy and Nadia and Shea and Duncan and um…Meisha and Teshawn and um…um…Papa, who else?”  
  
“Maria and Felix and Kara.”  
  
“Yeah! Maria and Felix and Kara are coming and then we’re going to have cake and ice cream and I get to open presents and Grandpa is coming and G-Pa and Gramma and Grampy and Oly…Mommy,” Jaime casts a nervous glance at Gibbs, “and um…next weekend we’re going to Disney World.”  
  
Gibbs ruffles his hair with an affectionate smile.  
  
“How about you go finish getting ready so you can go pick out your cake?”  
  
“Oh my God, Gibbs,” Abby grins widely after Jaime runs off, “I could just eat him up.”  
  
“I’d appreciate it if you found another child to cannibalize,” Gibbs chuckles, “I’m kind of attached to that one.”  
  
Abby smacks his arm lightly and rubs at her swelling belly.  
  
“Kicking?” Gibbs asks.  
  
“Yeah,” she nods, pressing Gibbs’ hand up under her shirt to feel the baby.  
  
“Greg holding up?”  
  
“He turned green when they did the ultrasound. I can’t wait to watch him faint in the delivery room.”  
  
“For a scientist he’s kind of a wuss.”  
  
“Be nice to my husband,” Abby glares, obviously amused.  
  
“I am nice. I only made him cry one time.”  
  
The baby kicks and he laughs, grinning hugely, “You know if it’s a boy or a girl yet?”  
  
“I don’t wanna know,” Abby shakes her head, “I want it to be a surprise.”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “Guess it’s good the baby’s room is purple.”  
  
“Thanks for helping Greg with the nursery by the way.”  
  
“Eh,” Gibbs waves her off.  
  
“Jaime!” Tony calls up the stairs as he walks in from the kitchen, “time to go!”  
  
“Tony!”  
  
“Hey, Abby,” Tony hugs her and then bends down to kiss her belly, “hey Abby’s spawn.”  
  
Jaime thunders down the stairs, slamming into Tony’s side with a huge grin, nearly knocking Tony off his feet.  
  
“You are getting way too big,” Tony grunts, hauling Jaime up into his arms and kissing his cheek.  
  
“Nuh uh,” Jaime shakes his head, “I’m getting just big enough.”  
  
He squirms and wraps his arms around Tony’s neck, then reaches for Gibbs.  
  
“Papa, come here.”  
  
“What, you want group hugs?” Gibbs laughs.  
  
“Yeah!”  
  
Gibbs wraps his arms around them both and squeezes tight, chuckling when he hears Abby squeak and throw her arms around them as well.  
  
“Are you gonna sing me happy birthday?”  
  
“Yeah, kiddo, later,” Gibbs assures him.  
  
“Ok, but you have to sing it louder than everybody else and…”  
  
“Jaime!” Tony exclaims laughingly, “We have to go.”  
  
“Go on you two,” Gibbs pushes them towards the door.  
  
He swipes a hand across his forehead once they’re gone and Abby laughs at him.  
  
“Just you wait,” he grins, pointing at her belly.  
  
“I _can’t_ wait! Oh my God, Gibbs, I’m so excited I could explode!”  
  
“You get much bigger and you might.”  
  
“My mom said it’s like this with boy babies sometimes,” Abby rubs her big belly, “you get a really huge belly. So I’m wondering if maybe…”  
  
“Thought you didn’t want to know?”  
  
“I don’t! But you know…when she said that…”  
  
“How is she?”  
  
“Good. She’s coming to visit and she can’t wait to see you guys.”  
  
“Talk to your dad lately?”  
  
“All’s quiet in the spirit world. Dad must’ve finally moved on.”  
  
“Think that has anything to do with your mom getting remarried?”  
  
Abby shrugs, “Maybe. He always wanted to make sure she was taken care of.”  
  
Gibbs pats her belly again and jerks his head towards the kitchen.  
  
“Wanna help me blow up balloons?” Gibbs tries and fails to bite back the laughter, “My husband rented a helium tank.”  
  
“He didn’t,” Abby grins, peering past him and then quickly striding forward, “Oh my God, he did.”  
  
“Kinda scared to see what he does next year. I swear he gets more excited about the kiddo’s birthday than Jaime does.”  
  
“Can you blame him?” Abby grimaces, “I mean…I know Senior would throw him big parties and stuff but how often was he actually _there_ for them?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs mumbles, rubbing the back of his neck as he sits down at the kitchen table.  
  
“G-Pa’s making an appearance?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“You don’t sound enthusiastic.”  
  
Gibbs rolls the tank between them, ripping open a package of balloons.  
  
“Tony always gets…” he waves a hand, grimacing, “ya know?”  
  
“…for once Gibbs I think you’re going to have to elaborate.”  
  
“He gets…quiet,” Gibbs mutters, watching Abby fiddle with the spool of ribbon.  
  
“Quiet is bad,” Abby guesses.  
  
“Senior’s trying, you know? I’ll give the son-of-a-bitch that much. Just never sure when it helps and when it hurts.”  
  
The hiss of helium fills the silence for a moment and then Abby sighs.  
  
“Do you think it would be better if he _didn’t_ try?”  
  
“No,” Gibbs shakes his head, tying the balloon off and handing it to her so she can put a length of ribbon on it.  
  
Sensing that Gibbs doesn’t really want to talk about it anymore Abby changes the subject.  
  
“Ziva’s coming back from Israel tomorrow.”  
  
“Heat get to her already?”  
  
“I guess. She said she’s bringing back a surprise,” Abby smirks, waggling her eyebrows.  
  
“Is it shaped like a boyfriend?”  
  
“I dunno. I’ll shake the box and let you know what it sounds like.”  
  
Gibbs bites back a smile, covering his mouth with his hand as he looks away.  
  
“What?” Abby grins with confusion.  
  
“Just remembered something from a few years back.”  
  
“…and?”  
  
“Just kidding around with Tony about me being the girl in the relationship. And here we are, you and me, two little wives gossiping in the kitchen.”  
  
Abby cracks up, hand flying up to her mouth, eyes widening when she snorts.  
  
They go back to their task, Abby occasionally rubbing at her belly until there are balloons bobbing along, the whole width of the kitchen ceiling.  
  
After a while she reaches over, rubbing the back of his hand with soft fingers, smiling fondly.  
  
“You know I just realized how much more you smile now. You’re happy, right?”  
  
“Yeah,” he nods.  
  
That makes Abby get a little misty.  
  
“It used to break my heart how sad you were, Gibbs.”  
  
“I know, Abbs,” he says softly, “But I’m not anymore.”  
  
“We’re back!” Tony calls.  
  
“And there are my two reasons,” Gibbs smiles, nodding towards the front of the house.  
  
He stands and kisses her cheek, smoothing her hair down as Jaime comes barreling in.  
  
“Papa…” Jaime stumbles to a stop, eyes going wide when he sees all the balloons.  
  
“Hey, kiddo. What kind of cake did you get?”  
  
“Blue!”  
  
“…blue?”  
  
“Vanilla cake with blue icing,” Tony laughs as he carries the cake in, “apparently it’s still 1985 at Sam’s because they had a Smurf cake.”  
  
He holds the cake out for Gibbs’ inspection and Gibbs raises an eyebrow.  
  
“…yeah, those are Smurfs.”  
  
“Aunt Rose has Smurfs on DVD at her house and I watch it with Bitty Bobby,” Jaime says, climbing on a chair to grab at a balloon string.  
  
“Get…down,” Gibbs chastises, hauling Jaime off the chair before handing him a balloon.  
  
Jaime bounces around the kitchen, looking up at the ceiling full of balloons with big eyes and a wide grin.  
  
“You wanna get those tied up to the chairs outside while I get the grill fired up? People are going to start showing up in about an hour.”  
  
Tony nods and pokes Abby in the arm, “Come be my artistic eye, O Mother of the Night.”  
  
Abby grunts faintly as she hoists herself out of the chair, “As long as I can do it sitting down.”  
  
“Papa can I go get Neill now?”  
  
Gibbs squints at Tony and shrugs.  
  
“Yeah, go ahead,” Tony nods, “just come straight back home, ok?”  
  
“Ok!” Jaime grins, abandoning his balloon and running out the front door.  
  
“How many of those are coming again?” Gibbs asks, jerking his head after their son.  
  
“Too many,” Tony groans.  
  
“You know you love it,” Abby smirks.  
  
Tony’s just gotten the last balloon tied up when his phone rings.  
  
“DiNozzo,” he snaps into it, inspecting his handiwork.  
  
His face falls and Gibbs grimaces, already knowing where this is going.  
  
“McGee… _shit_ ,” Tony growls, “I’ll be there in twenty… _no_ , McGee, I’m _not_ happy. It’s my kid’s ninth fucking birthday that’s why…I know you forgot… _stop apologizing and do your damn job_.”  
  
Tony snaps his phone shut and scowls, clenching it tightly in his fist for a moment as he tries to rein in his temper. Gibbs comes up beside him, careful not to touch.  
  
“Faster you leave, faster you can come home,” he says gently.  
  
“I’m probably not going to be back until tomorrow morning.”  
  
Gibbs nods, seeing some of the anger fade into disappointment and resignation. He grips Tony’s elbow.  
  
“We’ll save you some cake.”  
  
For one desperate second Tony looks like he might cry and then he shakes it off.  
  
“God…fucking shit,” he grinds out, “They’re going to have to send pieces of this motherfucker to prison because I’m going to rip him to shreds once I get my hands on him.”  
  
“Calm down, go get changed. We’ve still got next weekend to make it up to him.”  
  
Tony nods and drops a kiss on Gibbs’ lips, striding up the porch steps and into the house.  
  
“Oh,” Abby bites her lip, “this sucks.”  
  
“Yeah, Abbs, ya think?”  
  
Thundering footsteps and laughter pound through the house and explode out the backdoor as Jaime and Neill run into the backyard.  
  
“…and I got a cake with Smurfs and look at all the balloons!”  
  
“Woah,” Neill grins, eyes gone wide behind his glasses, “Cool.”  
  
“And…Papa, where’s Daddy?”  
  
Gibbs winces and glances up at the house, “Come here, kiddo.”  
  
“What is it?” Jaime asks warily.  
  
Gibbs gestures him closer and kneels down, grabbing Jaime’s hand, “Daddy’s got to go to work.”  
  
“Why?” Jaime whines with a frown.  
  
“McGee really needs his help. If Daddy doesn’t go then McGee could get hurt.”  
  
Jaime kicks at a clump of grass, scowling at the ground.  
  
“I’m sorry, kiddo,” Gibbs sighs.  
  
“Did he go already?”  
  
“No, he’s getting changed.”  
  
Jaime nods and sniffles, “When will he come home?”  
  
“…probably not until tomorrow.”  
  
Jaime bounces and groans, tugging on Gibbs’ hand.  
  
“Papa…he’s gonna miss everything!”  
  
Gibbs lowers his voice, cupping Jaime’s cheek as Tony walks out the back door.  
  
“I know, honey, but you don’t want anything bad to happen to McGee, do you?”  
  
“No,” Jaime pouts.  
  
“Hey,” Tony breathes.  
  
Jaime crosses his arms, scowling fiercely at Tony’s feet as tears spill down his cheeks. Tony winces, looking to Gibbs who offers him a comforting smile.  
  
“Guess you already got the bad news,” Tony says, squatting down.  
  
He pulls Jaime close, holding him with one hand as he wipes away his son's tears with the other.  
  
“I’m really sorry, Jaime. I don’t want to go, you know?”  
  
“I know,” Jaime says, breath hitching, arms still firmly crossed.  
  
Tony kisses his cheek, “I promise I’ll make it up to you, ok?”  
  
“…it’s ok,” Jaime sniffles, “Um…be careful, ok Daddy?”  
  
“I promise.”  
  
Tony hugs him tight and then turns quickly, practically jogging around the side of the house to the car. Neill comes over and pats Jaime’s arm.  
  
“Are you ok?” he asks quietly.  
  
Jaime scrubs at his face fiercely, nodding with a scowl.  
  
“Wanna suck helium out of the balloons and make funny voices?” Neill grins.  
  
That makes Jaime smile a little and he nods again.  
  
“Talk about crappy timing,” Abby mutters.  
  
“Actually surprised it hasn’t happened before. Besides one Christmas Eve and one Thanksgiving we’ve been pretty lucky.”  
  
“You really think he won’t be back before tomorrow?”  
  
“Their guy is in Virginia I think. That’s the last place he was spotted. Plus the paperwork and processing and…” Gibbs waves his hand in a circle, indicating the never-ending tasks.  
  
Jack limps out through the backdoor with an arm full of presents and booms out a hello, laughing as Jaime charges up to him yelling “Grandpa!” with a voice two octaves too high with helium. Gibbs helps him set things down and hugs him, sighing when he asks where Tony’s hiding.  
  
“Got called in.”  
  
“Shit,” Jack mutters, looking over to where Neill and Jaime are climbing up into the treehouse Gibbs and Jaime built together, “How’s the kid taking it?”  
  
“Bad. He’s ok right now but he’ll probably get upset again later. Tony’s never missed anything as big as a birthday before.”  
  
“Hazards of the job, huh?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs sighs, giving Jack’s shoulder a squeeze, “at least one of us is here.”  
  
“Bet you wish it was him.”  
  
Gibbs shrugs, “Hurts him more than it’d hurt me.”  
  
Jack snorts and slaps Gibbs on the back, shaking his head as he goes to sit down by Abby.  
  
“That is one beautiful belly, Abby girl,” Jack grins.  
  
“Hi, Jack,” she smiles brilliantly.  
  
Guests begin filtering in, Jaime yelling out hellos and calling out names, the laughter and noise of children filling up the backyard. Gibbs is surprised and immensely grateful that the distraction of family and friends keeps Jaime too busy to sulk much.  
  
When they sit down to sing Happy Birthday Jaime wilts a little though, rubbing at his nose as he stares at the Smurf cake and Gibbs grabs him up in his arms, singing louder than anyone else until Jaime’s laughing again.  
  
It eats at Gibbs a little, that Senior is here when Tony can’t be. Seeing him laugh with Jaime and chat up the other adults with his usual sleazy charm puts a bug right up Gibbs’ butt. He takes it out on the hamburgers and hot dogs for a while until Frank comes over and slaps him on the back hard, making his eyes go wide with surprise before he straightens with a glare.  
  
“What’d he do now?”  
  
“What?”  
  
“Tony’s father, what’d he do? Colleen’s never liked him much and I know there’s a story, not that anybody’s seen fit to tell me what it is. But I got the distinct impression he’s a bastard and since you’ve been shooting daggers at him and abusing the hell out of that grill for the last twenty minutes and your husband’s nowhere to be seen…”  
  
Gibbs glares harder and Frank snorts, “You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to but could you keep the glare down to a dull roar? You’ll upset the children.”  
  
With a sigh, Gibbs shrugs, “Tony got called in to work. Senior never bothered showing up to too many of Tony’s birthdays when he was growing up and it means a lot to Tony that he’s always here for Jaime.”  
  
Frank grunts and scratches his chin, “Bastard.”  
  
“Senior?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Gibbs grunts and nods.  
  
“So you’re mad ‘cause Tony couldn’t be here but that old son-of-a-bitch is?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“Well,” Frank sighs, “Not a damn thing I can do about that.”  
  
“Didn’t expect you to,” Gibbs huffs out a laugh.  
  
Frank shrugs, “Family works that way.”  
  
“Think I could bribe one of the kids to go spill something on those expensive looking slacks?”  
  
“I don’t know, Gibbs,” Frank sucks in a breath through his teeth, “Corruption of a minor and bribery - not very becoming of an ex-Special Agent. Damn near shameful for an ex-Marine.”  
  
“Yeah…” Gibbs grumbles, slapping a hamburger onto a plate and handing it to Bitty Bobby.  
  
“Besides…you could get me to do it for free,” Frank smirks, grabbing a cup of fruit punch from the table.  
  
Gibbs’ eyes widen and he reaches after Frank, yanking his hand back and covering his mouth to hide the smile as he watches discreetly, poking at the meat on the grill. Felix runs by at just the right moment and Frank exclaims, pretending to trip, letting the cup go completely, punch spilling all down the front of Senior’s slacks.  
  
“Ah, hell, I am so sorry,” Frank says, sounding completely sincere.  
  
“He’s good,” Gibbs mutters to himself, shaking his head, “He is damn good.”  
  
Senior goes off into the house to change; waving off Frank’s attempts to help with a fake smile as Gibbs quietly laughs himself silly.  
  
“That on purpose?” Jack asks conspiratorially, prodding Gibbs in the side.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs laughs, shoulders shaking.  
  
Jack grins, clenching one fist triumphantly, “Haven’t been able to get in a good whack in a while. Man needed a little ego-thumping.”  
  
Frank saunters over, hands in his pockets, “How was that?”  
  
Gibbs slaps Frank’s arm a few times, shaking his head.  
  
“That…that was… _damn_.”  
  
“Masterful,” Jack says, “wish I had that on tape.”  
  
Colleen strides over and swats Frank’s butt, pointing a threatening finger under his nose.  
  
“You behave yourself, Frank Marcus.”  
  
“Sorry, honey. Couldn’t help myself.”  
  
She narrows her eyes and puts her hands on her hips.  
  
“Next time you tell me so I can get a better view,” she grumbles and walks off to where Olyvia is helping Jaime put together one of his new toys.  
  
They look at each other and crack up laughing.  
  
“Don’t take this the wrong way,” Jack gasps, swiping at his eyes, “but that is a damn fine woman and I think I love her.”  
  
“It’s fine,” Frank waves in her direction, “she’d like the compliment.”  
  
The rest of the party is relatively quiet – Shea falls off the ladder of the treehouse and Rose throws a fit but surprisingly Olyvia gets that under control – and around four everyone starts heading out.  
  
“I’m going with Jaime to walk his little friends home,” Senior says as Gibbs chucks dirty paper plates into a trash bag.  
  
“Thanks,” Gibbs mutters, not looking up.  
  
“I’d like to speak with you when I get back. Alone?”  
  
Gibbs’ head shoots up, one eyebrow raised in question but Senior offers no explanation.  
  
“Yeah, alright,” Gibbs shrugs.  
  
Senior nods and calls for Jaime, taking his hand as they walk up the steps. Gibbs watches them go, waving away a fly that buzzes his face.  
  
“Crap,” he mutters.  
  
It’s been a while since he’s had to have a ‘talk’ with anybody – he doesn’t count having to give them to Jaime, partially because it’s rare for him to have to and partially because he’s the one doing all the talking – and it actually makes him a little nervous. He doesn’t feel about Senior the way he feels about Colleen or Frank, or the way he felt about Shannon’s parents. He’d adored Shannon’s parents and sometimes he misses them, especially around Shannon’s birthday or the holidays though he’d never have the nerve to call them up and check on them.  
  
With Senior it was different. He tolerated the man more than anything, felt annoyed and occasionally amused but the affection that had gradually built up with his other in-laws never appeared with Senior.  
  
Maybe that was Gibbs’ fault – he’d never really given the man much of a chance after all – and that thought makes him wince, tossing the garbage bag into the can roughly with a muttered curse.  
  
Worse is the thought that Senior _knows_ that Frank had spilled that punch on purpose, that they’d been laughing at him. There weren’t too many things worse in Gibbs’ estimation than being laughed at like that. Not that Senior didn’t maybe deserve it a little but Gibbs usually held himself to a better standard than that.  
  
“Feeling guilty about earlier,” Jack guesses, folding up chairs and leaning them against the table.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs grumbles, grabbing a stack to haul them off to the garage.  
  
“Me too. He’s a shit-head but…”  
  
Gibbs snorts and laughs, “Yeah, I know.”  
  
He’s just finishing with the clean up when Senior steps into the backyard. Gibbs straightens, crossing his arms as the other man walks over to him.  
  
Gibbs doesn’t even really notice Senior is holding a glass of punch until Gibbs is wearing it, arms flailing out as he looks down and then back up to find Senior biting back a grin, body shaking with restrained laughter.  
  
“You. Bastard,” Gibbs laughs disbelievingly, emphasizing each word.  
  
“I thought that was _your_ … **thing**?” Senior waves a hand, “Being a bastard, that is.”  
  
“Yeah, I’m pretty good at it,” Gibbs mutters, stripping off his soaked shirt.  
  
“I’d noticed,” Senior says dryly.  
  
Gibbs peers up at him and then straightens, “I owe you an apology.”  
  
“My dry cleaner can get the stain out,” Senior waves him off.  
  
“Not just for that,” Gibbs says firmly, “I never gave you a chance - never really wanted to. I told Tony to…can’t even tell you how many times. But I never gave you one myself.”  
  
Senior sighs and taps a finger against the empty cup, looking Gibbs over with a critical eye.  
  
“You didn’t really owe me one, Gibbs. Junior didn’t either for that matter but thank you for…for giving me the opportunity to try and make things right with him. I don’t know that I’m doing very well in that regard but I’m thankful to have the chance. I also know that if you’d…well, if you had told him not to then Junior wouldn’t have let me set one foot in the door,” Senior glances down, “He loves you and I didn’t want to believe it would last but I’m…I’m glad it did.”  
  
“Thanks,” Gibbs blinks with surprise.  
  
“Yes, well…Jaime insisted that Jack and I watch a movie called ‘Finding Nemo’ with him and I don’t want to keep them waiting too much longer.”  
  
Gibbs nods and reaches out, clapping a hand down on Senior’s shoulder. After a second he pulls him into a hug, patting him on the back.  
  
“Thanks,” Gibbs says again, pulling away.  
  
Senior nods and turns, heading up the steps. Gibbs stands in the backyard, sun edging closer to the horizon as a warm breeze sweeps through the neighborhood. After a few minutes he sits down on the porch steps and watches a lone balloon struggling to free itself from the branch it had gotten tangled up in, holding his punch soaked shirt and wondering how much of the lingering strain in Tony and Senior’s relationship is his fault.  
  
It couldn’t help to have him always making snide comments and feeding into Tony’s residual bitterness. Gibbs scratches at his nose and sighs, gaze falling to his feet.  
  
“Fuck it,” he mutters, getting up and going inside to get cleaned up and changed.  
  
In the living room Jack is in the big armchair and Senior is on the couch. Jaime can’t seem to make up his mind who he’d rather sit with and goes back and forth between them, sitting at Jack’s feet or curling up beside Senior on the couch. Gibbs pats his father’s arm, sitting on the couch and chuckling when Jaime crawls into his lap.  
  
“Has Daddy called?”  
  
Gibbs shifts and pulls his phone out of his back pocket. There’s a text message and Gibbs jostles Jaime a little.  
  
“Go get me my reading glasses…please,” he asks, trying to reinforce the good manners they’d been trying to instill in their son. Sometimes he forgets he’s not giving orders anymore.  
  
Jaime scrambles off of him and runs off to the den, where Tony usually puts them when he finds them randomly around the house. Gibbs had made the mistake of asking Jaime to read one of Tony’s text messages once and Jaime’s eyes had gone wide before he’d slapped his hand over them and muttered “it says lots of bad words”. Gibbs grunts when Jaime accidentally plants a knee in his groin as Jaime tries to climb back into his lap and slip the glasses on his nose at the same time.  
  
“What’s it say?”  
  
With a fond smile Gibbs says, “He says he misses us and that he can’t wait to come home.”  
  
He hugs Jaime close with one arm and kisses his forehead.  
  
“Can I send him a message back?”  
  
“Sure,” Gibbs smiles, handing him the phone.  
  
He hangs the glasses from his shirt collar and watches Jaime carefully type out his message on the keypad, tongue peeking out of the side of his mouth.  
  
“What’d you say?” he asks when he hears the sent message noise.  
  
“That we miss him too and to be careful and um…that we saved him cake and hamburgers and a balloon.”  
  
Jaime holds on to the phone, tucking in closer to Gibbs as they watch the movie. Eventually the phone beeps and Jaime fumbles it open excitedly, biting his lower lip.  
  
“Can I read it?” he asks.  
  
“…go ahead.”  
  
“It says…got the bad guy, coming home soon. Love you, Birthday Boy.”  
  
Gibbs wraps his arms around Jaime and ducks his head a little to look Jaime in the eye.  
  
“Maybe he’ll be home in time to tuck you into bed.”  
  
“Yeah, maybe,” Jaime shrugs, rubbing at his face tiredly.  
  
Or not, Gibbs thinks with a wince. Jaime falls asleep on him before the movie’s over and Jack ends up flipping through the stations while Senior reads the paper.  
  
Eventually Senior and Jack shuffle off to the den – Jack passes on several prime shin-whacking opportunities out of lingering guilt. Jack kisses Jaime’s temple and pats Gibbs’ cheek.  
  
“Night son. Don’t fall asleep like that, you hear?”  
  
“Night Dad,” Gibbs shakes his head with an exasperated note to his voice.  
  
“Night Gibbs.”  
  
“Night Senior.”  
  
They nod to each other and Gibbs lays his cheek on top of Jaime’s head, watching the news without really absorbing any of what’s on the screen. Finally he sighs and clicks the TV off, shuffling Jaime up into his arms.  
  
“Come on little boy. Time for bed.”  
  
Jaime groans a little, curling into Gibbs and wrapping one arm around Gibbs’ neck.  
  
He helps a half-asleep Jaime change into his pyjamas and tucks him into bed, singing him Happy Birthday one more time.  
  
“Nighty-night, Birthday Boy,” he whispers, stroking Jaime’s hair before he stands, back cracking a little.  
  
Gibbs barely manages to get under the covers himself before he falls asleep. He wakes too soon, seeing that it’s just after midnight as he squints at the alarm clock blearily. After listening for a few minutes he hears Jaime’s door and then the fourth floorboard on the first floor. With a frown and a grunt he gets up, trudging out to the landing to see Jaime stumbling towards an obviously exhausted Tony. Jaime rubs at his eyes with a loose fist and then raises his arms expectantly. Tony bites his lower lip and scoops Jaime up, holding him tight and kissing his temple.  
  
“Hey, baby,” Tony says softly.  
  
“Not a baby,” Jaime mumbles and Tony laughs.  
  
“Sorry, kiddo. You’ll always be my baby.”  
  
Jaime grumbles and hugs Tony a little tighter.  
  
“Is Gee ok?”  
  
“Yeah, he’s already home in bed which is where you should be.”  
  
“Can I sleep in your bed?”  
  
Tony glances up and notices Gibbs who shrugs and nods.  
  
“Sure, kiddo. Come on.”  
  
Feet dragging, Tony carries Jaime upstairs, pausing to kiss Gibbs.  
  
“Broke him in ten minutes,” he grins tiredly, “You would’ve been proud.”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “Always am.”  
  
Tony lays Jaime down and shuffles off to get changed as Gibbs tucks under the covers, pulling them out from under Jaime and tucking him under as well. Tony looks half dead when he comes back over, scrubbing his face and practically collapsing into the bed. Gibbs chuckles and shakes his head, standing up to maneuver Tony under the covers, bending down to lay several tender kisses on Tony’s mouth.  
  
“Night Tony.”  
  
“Night,” Tony mumbles.  
  
Gibbs crawls back into his side of the bed and finds himself just staring at his boys. Then he smiles to himself and closes his eyes.  
  
Tomorrow they’d have leftover cake for breakfast and sing Happy Birthday so loud the neighbors would complain – or at least Jack and Senior – and he’d spend the entire day with his boys.  
  
Gibbs remembers something, wincing and peeking open one eye to look over Tony’s sleeping face.  
  
And maybe Tony would sleep late enough that Gibbs could get the helium tank back to the party supply store without having to explain that he’d forgotten to return it on time.


	34. Building

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

He had made Jaime a swing for his fifth birthday – nothing impressive about a slat of wood with some rope attached. He’d eyed the tree they’d hung it from, estimating another two years before he’d help Jaime build a tree fort in it.  
  
A year earlier he’d carefully made Jaime’s first ‘big boy’ bed. It looked like a day bed but in a few years when Jaime outgrew that mattress it would be a proper headboard for a twin size mattress.  
  
Before that had been the DVD shelves for Tony’s birthday. Tony had come in from taking Jaime for a walk to find the shelves beside the TV, dark wood gleaming in the evening light. His eyes had gone a little wide and he’d immediately grinned, running his fingers over the smooth surface. Gibbs had ducked his head, feeling just shy of bashful over Tony’s pleasure with his gift; Tony kissed him and with a wide smile said “I love it”.  
  
For their tenth anniversary he builds them a swing. He sees it in one of his carpentry magazines – the ones Tony had gotten him subscriptions for – and grins, instantly figuring in his head how long it will take to make and what he’ll need to buy. Building it isn’t the hard part – getting the damn thing in the backyard and attached to the big, old oak tree is. It would be easier with help but Gibbs is nothing if not stubborn and though it takes him an entire day – filled with cursing, a bashed thumb and the beginnings of a sunburn before he remembers to put on sunscreen – he manages to get it up before Tony comes home. Jaime’s watching him from the porch as he does his homework while Gibbs puts on the finishing touches and Tony stumbles out, looking mildly annoyed about something until he sees Gibbs and the swing.  
  
“So that’s why there’s no dinner,” Tony laughs.  
  
Gibbs glances at his watch and curses under his breath, muttering an apology. Tony just shrugs and pulls out his phone, calling in for Chinese. He circles the swing, giving it an experimental push.  
  
“Done with my homework!” Jaime yells, “Can I go watch TV?”  
  
“Yeah but only for an hour!” Gibbs growls, waving him off.  
  
Tony raises an eyebrow and gestures at the swing, “So uh…”  
  
Gibbs sits down, straddling the seat. It’s different, not something he would have necessarily thought up himself.  
  
“You sit facing each other.”  
  
That makes Tony smile as he shucks off his jacket, shoes and socks.  
  
“Like this?” he asks facetiously as he sits down.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs smirks, starting them swinging as he leans back.  
  
They sit quietly for a bit as the sun sets and Tony watches Gibbs with a fond expression.  
  
“I love it,” he says after a while.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Gibbs scoots forward, wrapping his arms around Tony’s waist and laying his head on Tony’s chest. Tony strokes his hair and kisses the top of his head.  
  
“I ever tell you how much I love you?”  
  
Gibbs smirks, “Could stand to hear it again.”  
  
With a tender smile, Tony tilts Gibbs’ chin up.  
  
“I love you so much,” he says and kisses him.  
  
When everything else has failed him – words, hopes, dreams, strength – Gibbs has always been glad for what he could build with his hands.


	35. Definitions and Long Days

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Jaime runs up the stairs as soon as he gets home, shouting a “Hi Papa!” towards the back of the house.  
  
“Jaime!” Gibbs calls out, poking his head out of the kitchen, “…damnit.”  
  
In the master bedroom Tony is lying down, quietly curled up on his side.  
  
“Dad?” he says softly.  
  
“Mmm?”  
  
“How’re you feeling?”  
  
He kicks off his shoes in the direction of his bedroom and pads silently over to Tony’s side, eyes flitting over the slowly fading bruises.  
  
“A lot better,” Tony smiles, reaching out an arm for a hug.  
  
Jaime hugs him gently, the angle making it awkward, “I got an A on my English exam.”  
  
“Yeah? Let me see.”  
  
Digging it out of his backpack quickly, Jaime smoothes the paper out and presents it with a flourish, grinning hugely.  
  
“Good job, kiddo,” Tony smiles proudly, “Go put it on the fridge, ok?”  
  
Jaime hugs him again, “Um…do you need anything?”  
  
“Nah, I’m just going to sleep some more.”  
  
“Ok…” Jaime hesitates.  
  
Tony reaches up and strokes Jaime’s cheek, “Come here, baby.”  
  
He pulls Jaime close, rolling over onto his back with a wince.  
  
“Not a baby,” Jaime mutters, hugging Tony gently.  
  
“I’m going to be fine,” Tony insists, ignoring Jaime’s protests.  
  
“I know,” Jaime says, sounding less than sure.  
  
“Look at me,” Tony orders, gripping Jaime’s shoulders firmly, “I’m just a little banged up but I’ll be back on my feet in a few days.”  
  
“Are you going to be able to make it to my baseball game?”  
  
“Yeah, of course. I’ll have to get a bullhorn though.”  
  
“Why?” Jaime grins, face scrunching up with confusion.  
  
“Because I have to be louder than all the other parents,” Tony rolls his eyes, “Duh.”  
  
“Oh my God,” Jaime groans, pressing his face to Tony’s chest, “Daaaaaad.”  
  
“Go show Papa your exam and do your homework.”  
  
Jaime hugs him again, pressing his ear to Tony’s chest to listen to his heart beating reassuringly under his skin.  
  
“You ok?”  
  
“Yeah,” Jaime nods, “Just when um…when you got hurt Papa was really scared, you know? I mean…he cursed in front of me. Not like usual, where he kinda says it under his breath and stuff but like…you know. Loud. And a lot. And…and he yelled at me? Um…you know, because I kept asking him what was wrong. And then he was all… _“Not now, Jaime”_ and…I didn’t mean to cry.”  
  
He says the last bit very quietly and Tony sighs, stroking his dark, curly hair.  
  
“It’s ok to cry,” Tony murmurs gently.  
  
“I know,” Jaime nods, ear still pressed to Tony’s chest, “And I know he felt bad, you know? He hugged me and he said he was sorry. I know it’s just ‘cause he was scared and stuff.”  
  
Tony rubs Jaime’s back and sighs again. They stay that way for a few minutes until Tony feels the pain killers kicking in and sleep starting to drag him back under.  
  
“That was a really good impersonation of your Papa.”  
  
“Yeah?” Jaime smiles, lifting his head up.  
  
“Yeah,” Tony smiles back tiredly, “I’m gonna sleep some more, ok?”  
  
“Ok.”  
  
Carefully, Jaime pulls away, grabbing his test and backpack. At the door he pauses and turns, scratching the side of his nose.  
  
“Daddy?”  
  
Tony blinks and lifts his head a little, eyes searching his son’s face.  
  
“Um…I love you.”  
  
“I love you too,” Tony smiles.  
  
Jaime nods and closes the door.  
  
Downstairs in the kitchen Gibbs is getting dinner started and Jaime puts his exam on the fridge with the baseball shaped magnet. He stands there for a minute and then turns to Gibbs, biting his lip.  
  
“You’re not my real Papa,” he says, looking nervous.  
  
Gibbs turns from the stove with surprise and Jaime’s eyes go wide when he sees the hurt that follows when the surprise fades. He rushes forward, throwing his arms around Gibbs’ waist and squeezing him hard.  
  
“Who…?”  
  
“I heard Olyvia and Grammy fighting. Olyvia said you um…you’re not even my real father but that I like you better. She was saying it wasn’t fair.”  
  
Jaime pulls back, looking sullen and Gibbs sets the soup to simmer, gesturing Jaime towards the table. They sit and Gibbs runs his fingers through his hair, not exactly sure what to say.  
  
“You know what biological means?”  
  
“Um…sort of?”  
  
“Biological parent means the parent who…” Gibbs winces, realizing he’s about to give his son ‘the talk’, “Gonna have to explain a few things first, so bear with me, ok?”  
  
“Ok…” Jaime bites his lip, slouching back in the chair with his hands in his lap.  
  
“I know Neill told you a little bit about where babies come from.”  
  
Jaime grimaces, glancing away, “And Dad got angry.”  
  
“Well, only because Neill doesn’t really know what he’s talking about. At all.”  
  
Jaime’s attention comes back to Gibbs fully and he straightens a little, “So…”  
  
“He was right about some of the sex stuff. Man and a woman have sex...”  
  
“Does it really…” Jaime looks down at his own crotch, “stick up? And get hard and…?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs nods, pinching the bridge of his nose.  
  
“Dad kind of um…he kind of told me some stuff too but he seemed kind of embarrassed.”  
  
“Little awkward,” Gibbs admits, “What do you know?”  
  
“It gets hard and you stick it in the girl. You like…move it in and out and then it explodes.”  
  
Gibbs barks out a laugh and scrubs his face, “It doesn’t explode.”  
  
“I mean like…stuff comes out. Um…sperm?”  
  
“Yeah. Sperm is part of what makes a baby. That goes into a little egg inside the woman. Not like the eggs we eat, these are soft.”  
  
“So the sperm goes into the egg and becomes a baby?”  
  
“After nine months, yeah.”  
  
“Gross.”  
  
Gibbs leans back and sighs, jaw working momentarily as he waits for Jaime to process.  
  
“But you and Dad…I mean, do you have sex?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs nods, feeling his ears turn pink.  
  
“…how?” Jaime frowns, “You both have penises so…”  
  
“…we do other things.”  
  
Jaime worries his lower lip and then leans forward, “Neill says when boys do it together they stick it in each other’s butts.”  
  
His face is burning and Gibbs takes a deep breath, wishing like hell that Tony wasn’t laid up right now because even when Tony’s mortified he’s still better at explaining these things.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs says finally.  
  
Jaime nods, “Neill said people put it in their mouths sometimes too.”  
  
“Where the hell is Neill hearing this?”  
  
“His brother, Peter. Peter had movies with naked girls but he wouldn’t let us watch them and he had magazines with naked girls too. His mom found those and yelled at him.”  
  
“You don’t need to be looking at that,” Gibbs says firmly.  
  
Jaime’s eyes go wide and he shrinks, “I didn’t try to. I did see one of the magazines though. I mean, not like trying to look but by accident because it was open on Peter’s bed and we were looking for his baseball glove so me and Neill could practice and Peter wasn’t home because he was out with his girlfriend and then I kinda let it slip to Neill’s mom and that’s how he got in trouble and he was really mad at me and…”  
  
“He shouldn’t have left it out,” Gibbs interrupts, “Not something for little boys to be looking at.”  
  
For once Jaime doesn’t complain about being called little, “I didn’t really like it. I mean…girls are nice and stuff. I kissed Deanna in my class on a dare and I liked it. But the lady in the magazine…she looked like one of Nadia’s old Barbie dolls. Like fake and stuff. It was weird.”  
  
Gibbs nods and taps a finger against his thigh, “You got any questions?”  
  
“…you guys stick it in each other’s butts and mouths. You kiss. Neill says that’s gay.”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow, wondering about how much he’s going to have to hurt Neill, “…define gay.”  
  
“Like two boys or two girls. Neill says he likes both.”  
  
“Does he?”  
  
“Yeah. I kissed him once but I didn’t like it.”  
  
“Why’d you kiss him?” Gibbs asks with surprise.  
  
“Because you and Dad kiss. I just kinda wondered, you know? But I don’t like it. I like girls,” Jaime nods decisively.  
  
“You think it’s alright for people to be gay?”  
  
Jaime scrunches up his face, “Huh?”  
  
“Some people think it’s wrong.”  
  
Jaime rolls his eyes, “The stupid ones.”  
  
Nodding, Gibbs rubs his chin, biting back a smile.  
  
“So when two people have sex and make a baby that baby is their biological child. Olyvia’s your biological mom and your Dad is your biological dad. I adopted you when you were three, so legally I’m your father. Just not biologically.”  
  
“So that’s why I have your last name _and_ Dad’s?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
For a moment Jaime stares at the table, “So how come Olyvia and Dad aren’t married?”  
  
“You only marry someone if you love them.”  
  
“Like how you and Dad love each other.”  
  
“Right,” Gibbs nods.  
  
Jaime scratches the side of his nose, “I got an A on my English exam.”  
  
Gibbs blinks at the nonsequitur and then shakes his head with a smirk, “That what I saw you putting on the fridge?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
“So what’s your reward?”  
  
Jaime squints one eye shut and bites his lip, “Can we go see that new movie with Dakota Fanning?”  
  
“The action flick?”  
  
“I’m almost thirteen,” Jaime says, preemptively defending his request.  
  
“In ten months,” Gibbs snorts.  
  
“Come on, it hardly has any cursing and it’s not _really_ bloody.”  
  
“And you know that because…?”  
  
“I looked up a review on the computer?” Jaime admits sheepishly.  
  
“…let me talk to your Dad about it,” Gibbs gestures towards Jaime’s backpack, “Do your homework and let me finish dinner.”  
  
Later that night with Jaime tucked into bed, Gibbs stands at the sink doing dishes, absently scrubbing at the same pot for ten minutes before realizing his concentration is shot to hell and giving up the ghost of adult responsibility for the evening. He trudges upstairs, kicking his pants off at the door, eyes sweeping over Tony’s body protectively.  
  
Gibbs crawls into bed, plastering himself against Tony and pressing his face to the back of Tony’s neck.  
  
“What’s wrong?” Tony asks, laying his hand on top of Gibbs’ where it’s resting on Tony’s chest.  
  
Swallowing down the lingering hurt, Gibbs sighs into Tony’s skin, “…had the talk with Jaime.”  
  
“The birds and the bees?” Tony frowns.  
  
“Bees and the bees in our case,” Gibbs huffs out, mouth curving up into a pale imitation of a smile, “He heard Olyvia and Colleen arguing…finally figured out you can’t really have two daddies.”  
  
Tony turns over and sighs, eyes worried and a little sad.  
  
“Jethro…”  
  
“It’s ok,” Gibbs insists, patting Tony’s cheek, “You feeling better?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
There’s a soft knock on the door and Gibbs sits up, “Yeah?”  
  
Jaime opens the door and stands awkwardly in his undershirt and boxers, bright red blanket wrapped around his shoulders making him look like the world’s sleepiest super hero.  
  
“Papa?”  
  
Gibbs gets off the bed, careful not to jostle Tony and strides forward.  
  
“You ok?”  
  
“Can um…” Jaime hesitates, looking annoyed, “I had a bad dream. Can you sit with me for a while?”  
  
“Yeah. Come on, I’ll get you a glass of milk, ok?”  
  
Jaime nods, following Gibbs downstairs. He sits on the couch and waits for Gibbs to come back with the milk, taking the glass and drinking it down quickly. Gibbs chuckles and uses a corner of his own shirt to wipe the milk mustache away, taking the empty glass and setting it aside.  
  
“Papa?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“Is Daddy gonna be ok?”  
  
Gibbs sighs and sits down. Jaime immediately curls into his side and Gibbs hugs him tight.  
  
“He’s going to be fine,” Gibbs says firmly, tapping the back of Jaime’s head, “Because we’re going to take care of him.”  
  
Jaime’s grip tightens, “I’m sorry I said you weren’t my real Papa.”  
  
“I know you didn’t mean it like that.”  
  
“But you are, you know? Because…because you taught me how to tie my shoes and how to build a treehouse and stuff like that. I…I don’t even _like_ Olyvia. Is that bad? I mean I try to and I love her but she’s not like my real mom. Not how like you’re my Papa.”  
  
“It’s ok,” Gibbs sighs, “I know. It’s not… _bad_. Olyvia…she tries. She loves you.”  
  
“I know. But I love you more.”  
  
The hurt eases and when Jaime pulls Gibbs down to kiss his cheek, Gibbs laughs and the hurt fades completely.  
  
“Well…just don’t tell Olyvia that,” he smiles, kissing Jaime’s forehead.  
  
Jaime doesn’t seem comforted though and Gibbs hauls him a little closer.  
  
“He’s going to be fine, Jaime.”  
  
“…it’s not like the other times,” Jaime sniffles, “He was crying in the hospital. Like _really_ crying and he…he…he was there for two whole weeks. And he’s been in bed for a whole week and he hates staying in bed like that and he’s so quiet and tired and he’s not like himself at all and I don’t want him to die…”  
  
“Hey,” Gibbs soothes, rocking Jaime back and forth as he sobs in Gibbs’ arms, “It’s ok, kiddo. It’s all gonna be ok.”  
  
After Jaime calms down a little, Gibbs tilts his chin up.  
  
“Alright?”  
  
Jaime shakes his head miserably and Gibbs wipes his face clean with his shirt.  
  
“You remember that song you used to love when you were little?”  
  
“Which one?”  
  
“You loved more than one?”  
  
“Yeah. Everybody sang me songs and…like with Abba it’s Just Like Heaven and with Ducky it’s How Do The Fish Swim…”  
  
“The Fish Song, I remember that one,” Gibbs chuckles.  
  
“And with Dad it’s Swinging on a Star and with you it’s You Can Close Your Eyes.”  
  
Gibbs bites his lip, “You want me to sing it to you?”  
  
Jaime smiles a little, looking faintly embarrassed, “Yeah, if you want to.”  
  
“Been a while. Might have forgotten some of the words.”  
  
“You can always hum.”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs nods, clearing his throat, “ _Well the sun is surely sinking down but the moon is slowly rising…so this old world must still be spinning round and I still love you. So close your eyes…you can close your eyes, it’s alright…_ ”  
  
By the time Gibbs has finished Jaime is fast asleep. With a soft grunt he scoops him up into his arms and carries him upstairs to his bed. He’s getting too big to carry but Gibbs can still manage it.  
  
He tucks him under the sheets, brushing Jaime’s hair away from his face and wondering where the hell the time has gone.  
  
“Sweet dreams, little boy.”  
  
Shucking off his shirt, Gibbs crawls into bed, curls around Tony in the dark and knows that everything’s going to be alright.  
  
\--  
  
“Hello!” Senior booms out.  
  
Jaime’s head pops up from his homework with surprise. He blinks looking between Gibbs, who shrugs, and the kitchen door.  
  
“G-Pa?” he calls out, brow furrowed and mouth quirked up into a hesitant smile.  
  
“Jaime! Come give your old grandfather a hug!”  
  
Jaime’s face breaks out in a huge grin and he scrambles up out of his seat, tearing through the house. Gibbs rises up from the kitchen table, cracking his back and glancing over the math problem he was helping Jaime with.  
  
“Hey,” Gibbs nods as he walks out.  
  
“Hello, Gibbs,” Senior nods in return, glancing into the living room where Tony is dozing on the couch, “Pain killers?”  
  
“They always knock him out,” Gibbs sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.  
  
“I seem to remember that.”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow and Senior gestures toward Tony, “He broke his leg when he was a little boy. I really wish I could say it’s the most worried I’ve ever been about him, but…”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs grumbles, “So why’re you here?”  
  
Senior raises an eyebrow, grabbing Gibbs’ chin and turning his face, inspecting him critically.  
  
“You look like hell,” he says matter-of-factly.  
  
“ _Thanks_ ,” Gibbs bites out.  
  
“I ain’t bringin’ your bags in you old son-of-a…hey, son,” Jack nods, dropping his suitcase by the door.  
  
“Hi, Dad. What are you both doing here?”  
  
“Jack is going to be taking care of Jaime. I am going to be taking care of Junior. You are going to be taking care of yourself,” Senior explains.  
  
“…Rose called you,” Gibbs guesses, remembering how much she’d fussed over him the other day when he’d been babysitting five of her terrors.   
  
-  
  
She’d almost cancelled her night out with her husband but Gibbs had insisted that a few hours with her kids wasn’t going to be his undoing. An hour and a half into it he’d been close to changing his mind but Jaime had been a big help, as had Nadia. The littlest two, Jayma and Tyler, had cried almost constantly but Gibbs figures twins with colic do things like that. When she and Bobby had shown up Bobby had rolled his eyes at Gibbs, indicating that she’d done nothing but worry the entire time.  
  
“Mother’s privilege,” Gibbs had shrugged, clapping him on the shoulder.  
  
-  
  
“Look…” Gibbs starts to argue.  
  
Jack shoves his finger under Gibbs’ nose, “You haven’t listened to a thing I’ve said to you in damn near fifty years, but goddamnit boy, I will be heard today. You don’t have to do it all alone. I know you’ve had Rose and your friends looking out for you but I’m your father. You call me when something like this happens or so help me, over the hill or not, I will tan your hide.”  
  
Gibbs blinks at him, feeling all of twelve again and nods.  
  
“Yes, sir,” he mutters.  
  
“Grandpa cursed,” Jaime says softly.  
  
“Well, hell!” Jack laughs, “That wasn’t cursin’. Cursin’ is…”  
  
“ _Dad_!” Gibbs snaps with exasperation, “Tone it down, ok?”  
  
“Yeah, yeah,” Jack waves him off, hobbling in to sit down next to Tony and look him over.   
  
He gently grips Tony’s shoulder making Tony startle awake, suck in a sharp breath, and peer around blearily before finally focusing on Jack.  
  
“Hey, Jack…what are you doing here?”  
  
“Came to take care of you stubborn jack-asses.”  
  
Tony snorts, “Good luck.”  
  
Jack chuckles and ruffles Tony’s hair, “Might rest better in bed.”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony nods, head dropping to the back of the couch, “but that means getting up.”  
  
“Alright. You change your mind, you let us know.”  
  
“Thanks, Jack,” Tony yawns.  
  
“Your father’s here too, ya know. Might say hi to him before you pass out on us again.”  
  
“Hi Dad,” Tony calls out sleepily.  
  
Senior shakes his head and sits on Tony’s other side, smoothing back his hair.  
  
“Let’s see it,” he says firmly.  
  
“Dad, it’s…”  
  
“I’m hardly squeamish, Junior. Let’s see it.”  
  
Sighing, Tony lifts his shirt and hitches up his boxers. There’s a long, ugly incision where they’d cut his leg open, pinning the bone back together with screws, staples holding his flesh together. The bruises are still fading, yellow and green. The far more gruesome of the two wounds is the jagged gash on his abdomen where he’d been impaled by falling debris. He’d nearly lost his kidney and his intestines had been torn so badly in some places they’d had to remove small portions. All in all the doctors say he’s healing remarkably well but Gibbs still looks at him and chokes down the urge to cry. He’d nearly lost Tony that night. Tim had called him in a panic, barely able to tell him which hospital to meet them at and Gibbs had woken Jaime out of a sound sleep, barking at him to get dressed and get in the car. _Now_.  
  
He’d been Boss again for a few minutes, adrenaline pounding through his system, his only focus on getting the job done and setting everything back to rights.  
  
It still hurts him to think he’d yelled at Jaime then. It had been a long time since he’d had the Marine take over the Father.  
  
Senior places a hand over the staples on Tony’s stomach, sighing through his nose.  
  
“Why didn’t you call me, Junior?”  
  
“I haven’t done anything but sleep, eat and crap in almost a month, Dad. Lay all blame on the Boss,” Tony gestures.  
  
“…damnit,” Gibbs mutters.  
  
They all look at Gibbs who glares back and crosses his arms, daring them to say anything. Senior clears his throat and pats Tony’s shoulder.  
  
“Well, I’m sure you’ve been doing your best, Gibbs.”  
  
Jack snorts and uses his cane to leverage himself up, “Alright, I’m gonna make dinner. What’ve ya got pulled out?”  
  
“Roast. Come on, Jaime,” Gibbs jerks a thumb towards the kitchen, “let’s get back to that math problem.”  
  
“You don’t have to hover over me, Dad,” Tony grumbles, “I’m not going to bust a stitch watching The Price is Right.”  
  
“Too cool to hang out with your old man, hmm?”  
  
Tony laughs and then grimaces, “Ow…ow, don’t make me laugh.”  
  
“Sorry,” Senior grins apologetically, “But really, Junior, it won’t kill you to spend a little time with me, will it? Really I’ll just be fetching things for you and helping out around the house.”  
  
“Do I get a bell?”  
  
“Is there something wrong with calling me on your phone?”  
  
“I guess not…except my phone is upstairs in the bedroom.”  
  
Senior blinks at him, “Well, what the hell is it doing up there?”  
  
“I’m supposed to be resting, Dad. Phone calls and text messages can make that difficult.”  
  
“Hmph, well,” Senior leans closer with a wicked smirk, “I suppose I’ll just have to stick close then.”  
  
Tony makes a face and sighs, “Just don’t stick too close.”  
  
“I’ll try and remember to give you your space,” Senior chuckles, leaning back.  
  
After a few minutes of watching T.V. Senior puts an arm around Tony’s shoulders and sighs.  
  
“I’m glad you’re alright, Junior. Remind Gibbs to call me next time, though.”  
  
“Ok, Dad,” Tony smiles, leaning into his father a little.  
  
In the kitchen Jack curses and Jaime glances up at Gibbs with wide eyes.  
  
“You alright over there, Dad?” Gibbs smirks, propping his chin on his fist.  
  
“I’m fine, you just make sure our boy there gets an A.”  
  
“It’s…”  
  
“It’s a gas stove and I can figure it out,” Jack insists.  
  
“Before or after you blow up the house?”  
  
Jack turns and glares at him faintly, “Well, when you put it that way.”  
  
“It’s digital…Tony had to explain it me and it still took me a week to figure the damn thing out.”  
  
“Dad,” Jaime protests.  
  
Gibbs frowns and then slaps his own forehead, “Sorry, kiddo.”  
  
“You been coddlin’ that boy? Damn ain’t a curse word. Go ahead, Jaime, give it a try.”  
  
“Don’t you dare,” Gibbs laughs, pointing a threatening finger at Jaime before turning back to Jack, “And you, quit encouraging my son to cuss.”  
  
“So how do you set the temperature on this thing?”  
  
Gibbs glares at him and stands up, “Look, just…hit the Bake button and then the little up arrow until you get the temperature you want and leave it alone until it beeps.”  
  
“That’s it?”  
  
“That’s it.”  
  
Jack looks the stove over suspiciously, “Don’t understand what was wrong with knobs and dials myself.”  
  
“Me neither,” Gibbs shakes his head.  
  
“Papa, how come cursing is bad?”  
  
Gibbs glares at Jack hard and Jack turns away to start peeling potatoes.  
  
“…it’s not really. But it’s not something you do at work or school. It’s rude.”  
  
“So how come I can’t curse?”  
  
“You’re too young. Gotta wait until you’re eighteen.”  
  
“Like Dad says I have to wait if I want to get a tattoo?”  
  
Gibbs’ eyebrows shoot up and he shares a look with Jack, “He said that, huh?”  
  
“Because I like Abba’s tattoos and I asked Dad if I could get one and he said I had to wait until I was eighteen. Abba said that was a good idea and she’d take me if I decided I wanted one.”  
  
The Preheat signal beeps loudly and Gibbs starts a little, staring at his son.  
  
“Yeah, that’s a good idea,” he mutters, “So you figured out the answer yet?”  
  
Tattoos and cursing are a little too much to deal with on top of everything that’s happened in the last two months so Gibbs decides he’ll leave those problems alone for another few years until Jaime’s a teenager. Nothing Gibbs says will matter much by that time anyway but they’ll have ‘fun’ arguing about it.   
  
“Um…42.”  
  
“The answer to life, the universe and everything,” Tony grins as he limps in, leaning heavily on the cane the hospital had given him.  
  
“The hell are you doing in here?” Gibbs grumbles.  
  
“I need to walk around a _little_ , Gibbs. Jesus.”  
  
“Where’s your dad?”  
  
“Putting away their luggage and setting up the cots in the den. Your stuff might end up in the fireplace, Jack.”  
  
“I’ll just make him buy me more. Figure for what he spends on one of those suits he could buy me a whole new wardrobe.”  
  
Tony chuckles as he pours himself a glass of juice and nods, “Yeah, probably.”  
  
“You can’t say anything,” Gibbs scoffs.  
  
“You’ve reined in my spending habits, _dear_ ,” Tony smirks, taking a sip.  
  
“You still spend way too much on those suits.”  
  
“And you spend way too much on _wood_ but I don’t complain about that, do I?”  
  
“I make useful things out of that wood.”  
  
“I _wear_ the suits,” Tony snaps back, “It’s not like I hang them up on the wall with the family photos. And with what you spend on making _one_ shelf we could buy _ten_ from Ikea.”  
  
“You saying you don’t like…”  
  
“I’m saying I love what you build, Gibbs, but if you’re going to get in on my spending habits you’d better examine your own a little more closely. Besides, it’s not like we’re struggling to get by.”  
  
“They always like this?” Jack asks from where he’s leaning against the counter, watching Gibbs and Tony go back and forth.  
  
“All the time,” Jaime sighs, shaking his head and filling in another answer on his math homework.  
  
\--  
  
Two weeks later the staples are out and Tony is getting around with more ease. Senior and Jack are still camping out in their den but Jack needs to get back to the store and Senior has ‘business’.  
  
“Hey, the doctor says after I finish the physical therapy I should be able to start up my jogging route again,” Tony grins.  
  
“Yeah?” Gibbs smiles back, “Not that I mind taking the kiddo out in the mornings just…feels weird to be riding while he’s running.”  
  
“You should come with us every morning,” Tony nudges him.  
  
“I’ll think about it.”  
  
“You could use the exercise,” Tony pushes.  
  
“I exercise.”  
  
“ _Cardio_ exercise.”  
  
Gibbs grumbles and pulls the covers back, watching Tony move with a little more of the careless grace he’s used to. He slides in behind him, kissing the back of his neck and squeezing his hip.  
  
“You feeling up to a little exercise right now?”  
  
Tony’s eyes slide shut and he reaches back to pull Gibbs closer, “As long as you’re doing all the heavy-lifting.”  
  
Gibbs slips a hand into Tony’s boxers, stroking him slowly, “I can do that.”  
  
“I missed you,” Tony gasps.  
  
“I go somewhere?”  
  
“I mean…I missed being close,” Tony turns his head for a kiss, “Same house, same bed but…”  
  
“I know…” Gibbs kisses him, slow and deep.  
  
He takes his time getting Tony ready, like fingering and stretching him is the main event and not what comes after. Tony just gasps and groans into the sheets, fisting them in one hand as Gibbs works him over gently.  
  
Gibbs is so careful but it doesn’t frustrate Tony like it might have years ago. Now he knows that it’s not because Gibbs doesn’t think he can take it but because Gibbs cares so much it would kill him to hurt Tony.  
  
They make love and after they’ve orgasmed they settled into the sheets of their bed to sleep peacefully in each other’s arms.


	36. How I Met Your Father

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

“You should hire me.”  
  
Gibbs pauses, coffee cup nearly to his mouth, lips ready to accept some much needed caffeine.  
  
“Run that by me again, Detective…”  
  
“DiNozzo. Tony DiNozzo. You should hire me.”  
  
“Why?” Gibbs asks with obvious amusement.  
  
Straightening fractionally, Tony looks him dead in the eye, “Because I’m a hard worker, I’m good at making connections and you don’t scare me.”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow, making Tony shift.  
  
“Ok, maybe you scare me a little but I’m not scampering off like some wimpy kid every time you snap out an order.”  
  
After regarding him quietly for a few minutes Gibbs finally nods, “Yeah, ok.”  
  
Tony blinks, “Really?”  
  
“Yeah, I’ll submit the paperwork tonight.”  
  
“Uh…tonight? I have to um…”  
  
“I know. Better get busy.”  
  
Looking Gibbs over with some amusement of his own, Tony whips out his phone.  
  
“…how come you want to work for me?” Gibbs asks, sipping his coffee.  
  
Biting his bottom lip Tony narrows his eyes, like he’s not sure if he should say it or not. Finally he seems to decide and shrugs one shoulder carelessly, “You ever get those feelings? Like you know something but you don’t know why?”  
  
“Yeah, in my gut.”  
  
“Yeah, like that,” Tony nods.  
  
Gibbs cracks his neck and nods in return, “Your boss gonna flip out?”  
  
“Do bears shit in the woods?”  
  
Gibbs chuckles and leans back against the wall, “See you tomorrow Detective.”  
  
With a final nod, Tony turns to leave, pausing at the door, “Agent Gibbs?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“The whole headslapping thing…?”  
  
“Not gonna spare you.”  
  
“Right. Don’t know why I asked.”  
  
Gesturing for Tony to get a move on, Gibbs smirks, “Me either.”


	37. I Can't Sing The Blues Anymore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

“You guys are so slow!” Jaime complains, “Hurry up! We’re going to be late!”  
  
“Dunno,” Gibbs scratches his chin, “Might be too old and tired to go. Thinking about turning around and going home.”  
  
Jaime sits up straight, “No, Papa, please? I was just kidding about that.”  
  
Tony smacks Gibbs’ arm with the back of his hand, “Quit torturing our son.”  
  
“I was just teasing,” Gibbs laughs, leaning forward as far as he can when Jaime tries to smack his shoulder.  
  
“Don’t you dare take off that seatbelt,” Tony warns Jaime.  
  
“That was mean,” Jaime sulks, sitting back and glaring at Gibbs hard.  
  
“Well, your Papa’s always been a ba…um…a bad man. He’s been torturing me for years.”  
  
“Hey,” Gibbs protests.  
  
“Do you seriously need me to make a list, Boss?” Tony raises an eyebrow.  
  
Gibbs shifts and taps his thumb against the steering wheel. He peers at Tony out of the corner of his eye and shakes his head, sighing through his nose.  
  
“You guys used to work together, right?”  
  
Tony nods and turns in his seat, “For about ten years.”  
  
“And Papa was a Marine before that.”  
  
“Yeah. Well, he also worked at NCIS before I did. I was a police officer before NCIS.”  
  
“How did you meet?”  
  
Tony looks up at Gibbs, who shakes his head with an amused grin.  
  
“We met on a case,” Gibbs says, “I liked the way your Dad worked so much I hired him.”  
  
“So when did you start like…dating and stuff?”  
  
“After you were born. Your Papa was helping me take care of you and we fell in love.”  
  
Gibbs snorts, reaching over to squeeze Tony’s thigh, “You almost gave me the boot a few times though.”  
  
“Well, that’s because you’re a jerk,” Tony smiles, grabbing Gibbs’ hand and twining their fingers together.  
  
“Oh God, are you guys gonna kiss?” Jaime groans.  
  
“We might,” Tony raises an eyebrow, “You could always look out the window.”  
  
“Cover your eyes,” Gibbs offers, “Turn on your iPod and read a book.”  
  
“Jump out of the car screaming,” Tony grins broadly.  
  
“Ok, ok. Geez,” Jaime rolls his eyes, “Are Abba and Uncle Greg coming?”  
  
“Yeah, with Ofelia and Gryfin,” Tony confirms, kissing the back of Gibbs’ hand.  
  
“Do I have to babysit?” Jaime frowns.  
  
“It’s the 4th of July, kiddo,” Tony scoffs, “Do you seriously think we’re going to give you diaper duty today?”  
  
Jaime shrugs, “I guess not. I had to sit at the table with all the other kids on Christmas though and I had to keep wiping mashed potatoes and gravy off of Ofelia.”  
  
“And we appreciated that but nobody asked you to do it,” Tony points out reasonably.  
  
“Well, it was gross and nobody else was doing it.”  
  
“We get it, kiddo,” Gibbs chuckles.  
  
“Are we staying for fireworks?”  
  
Nodding, Gibbs sighs, “Yeah, Jaime.”  
  
There are already people at the park, despite it being so early. Tony darts out of the car and sprawls out over two picnic tables, deterring other park goers as he waits for Gibbs to find a spot for the car.  
  
Gibbs nods his approval as he drops a couple of canvas chairs on the ground, “Good snag.”  
  
“Shade, close to the pool, not too far from the parking lot and a good view of the fireworks display,” Tony says, pointing towards the far field.  
  
“Alright, stay here a minute. Jaime’ll help me unload the car.”  
  
“Let Jaime…”  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow and prowls closer, pinning Tony against the table.  
  
“Let Jaime help me? Yeah, Tony. Sure.”  
  
“I’ve been back at work for almost a month,” Tony mutters.  
  
“I know,” Gibbs growls, “And I’m going to make sure you don’t have to spend another three weeks laid up in bed because you pushed yourself too hard.”  
  
“God, fine, hypocrite.”  
  
“Whatever you say, dear,” Gibbs snorts.  
  
Jaime grunts as he plops the small cooler down on the picnic bench.  
  
“Papa, come on, I can’t lift the big cooler by myself.”  
  
Gibbs kisses Tony and pushes off, ruffling Jaime’s hair as they turn back towards the car. Tony rolls his eyes again, shakes his head and decides he can at least start organizing things.  
  
“Tony!” Abby calls out.  
  
“Hey, Abbs,” he waves.  
  
Greg’s unruly, brown hair can be made out over the top of an armload of stuff as Abby hauls her kids along.  
  
“Where are Gibbs and Jaime?” she glances around, swinging Gryfin up onto the picnic bench.  
  
“Unloading the car.”  
  
Abby pushes Ofelia into Tony’s arms and turns to help Greg with his load.  
  
“Hi Tony,” Greg smiles shyly.  
  
“Hi Greg,” Tony chuckles as he tickles Ofelia.  
  
“I’ll go finish unloading the car,” he gestures.  
  
Abby flings her arms around his neck and kisses him, “Ok, but hurry back.”  
  
“Ok,” he nods, blushing and looking a little overwhelmed.  
  
Tony gives a surprised ‘oof!’ as Gryfin leaps onto his back.  
  
“Hi Uncle Tony!”  
  
“Hey, Gryf,” Tony winces, “Your husband kills me, Abbs. How’d you find a guy that shy?”  
  
“I have no idea,” Abby grins, wrestling Gryfin off of Tony and then swinging her son around.  
  
“Abba!” Jaime calls out.  
  
“J-man!” Abby waves enthusiastically.  
  
Jaime hauls up his side of the cooler, struggling with it slightly and Gibbs nods his greeting to Abby. They’ve barely set the cooler on the ground when Abby bounces into Gibbs’ arms, kissing his cheek.  
  
“I’m so glad everybody could make it today!” she enthuses as she bends down to squeeze Jaime tightly. He hugs her back just as tight, grinning widely.  
  
“Abba, are you staying for the fireworks?”  
  
“Of course!” she laughs, “That’s the best part.”  
  
They start signing rapidly and Gryfin struggles along, trying to join the conversation.  
  
“Hey!” Gibbs barks, “We’ve got more stuff to unload, you’ll have the rest of the day to chat.”  
  
“Meanie,” Abby smirks, sticking out her tongue.  
  
Gibbs wraps an arm around her slender shoulders and kisses her temple, “Seems to be the general consensus.”  
  
Jaime runs back to the car and Gibbs follows at a somewhat more sedate pace, waving at Greg as he struggles with another armload of things.  
  
“You brought a playpen?” Tony raises an eyebrow.  
  
“Do _you_ want to spend all day chasing after these two? Besides, I don’t want them in the dirt. They might get bitten by ants or something. Plus they need shade and we brought the pop-up tent so…”  
  
“I know how you feel about sunlight, O Mother of the Night, but don’t you think that’s overkill?”  
  
“…I brought extra sunscreen, too,” Abby says, narrowing her eyes.  
  
Tony sighs, “Yes, ma’am.”  
  
Colleen and Frank show up next with Olyvia, followed by Jack and Senior who had slept in at the house – Senior looks a little green around the gills and Gibbs hands him a ginger ale.  
  
“Sorry about my Dad’s driving,” he smirks.  
  
“I think I’ll be walking home,” Senior winces.  
  
“You can ride back with us,” Gibbs offers.  
  
“…I really think I’ll walk home. Junior’s told me about your driving.”  
  
Gibbs laughs and shrugs, “Suit yourself.”  
  
Rose and her brood show up closer to noon but Gibbs can’t imagine it taking less than six hours to get eight kids corralled into a mini-van.  
  
Jaime and Bitty Bobby are making water balloons until a park worker shoos them away from the tap but by then they have two buckets filled up.  
  
Gibbs catches one in the face first off and after that it’s war. After nearly knocking over the grill, they decide now might be a good time to try out the pool which is already starting to get crowded. Tony grabs Gibbs around the waist and launches them both into the deep end which gets them a lecture from the lifeguard who is obviously amused.  
  
“We keep up like this they’re gonna kick us out,” Gibbs chuckles lowly to Tony as he treads water.  
  
“It’s not a normal family outing if we’re not causing trouble,” Tony laughs.  
  
Jaime hangs onto Tony - arms wrapped around his neck - and finally convinces him to play water volley ball in the shallow end while Gibbs helps Bobby teach Jayma and Tyler how to swim. Abby fusses about the importance of reapplying sunscreen.  
  
“I can put it on myself,” Gibbs grumbles, snatching the bottle away from her.  
  
“What about your back?”  
  
“I think as the husband that’s my privilege,” Tony interjects, grabbing the bottle away from Gibbs.  
  
Gibbs turns around to protest but Tony shoves his shoulder rudely and Gibbs’ jaw works as he lets Tony rub sunscreen over his back and shoulders. Tony finishes by patting Gibbs’ ass and chuckling throatily in his ear.  
  
“Now you get to return the favor.”  
  
Gibbs peers at him, one corner of his mouth turning up, “Think I like the sound of that.”  
  
Jack sleeps most of the day and Gibbs glances at him every now and again with watchful eyes.  
  
“Hey, Dad, time for lunch,” Gibbs says softly, pressing a kiss to the top of his father’s head.  
  
“I smell barbecued chicken?” Jack mutters as he snorts awake.  
  
“It’s the 4th. Would I make you anything else?”  
  
Gibbs pulls a chair over, balancing both their plates as he sits next to Jack. They eat in silence, watching the rest of the family’s antics until Gibbs finally gets up the courage to say what needs saying.  
  
“Johnny Olsen down at the store…”  
  
“That damn little busy body ratted me out, didn’t he?” Jack grouses.  
  
“Dad…” Gibbs sighs, “I know you love that store…but I’m never gonna take it over. Johnny, he loves that place the way you do, he’ll take good care of it.”  
  
“And what am I gonna do?”  
  
“Don’t expect you to sit around on your ass,” Gibbs smirks, “Come live with us.”  
  
“Where are you gonna put me?”  
  
“We’ll turn the den into a bedroom. Jaime’s the only one who ever uses it…for his computer. And I figure we can stick that in his room.”  
  
“I don’t want to put you out…”  
  
“Don’t start with that shit,” Gibbs warns, “You damn near broke your hip getting upstairs. Johnny said he’d thought you’d had a heart attack.”  
  
“They got retirement homes…”  
  
“To hell with that,” Gibbs growls, “I’m not putting you in a retirement home. Tony and Jaime would love having you around.”  
  
“And what about you?” Jack presses.  
  
“…long as you don’t go bossing me around all the time, we’ll be fine.”  
  
“So I only get to boss you around some of the time, huh?”  
  
Gibbs chuckles, “Yeah, Dad. Sure.”  
  
Jack sighs and nods, “Alright.”  
  
Gaze falling to the grass, Gibbs lays a hand on Jack’s back.  
  
“I love you, Dad. I don’t want you to be alone.”  
  
“I love you too, son. Go on and stop your boy before he dumps that ice water on your husband’s head.”  
  
“Jaime Addison!” Gibbs barks, head snapping up.  
  
Jaime fumbles the bucket as Tony turns sharply, spilling ice water all over himself and yelping. Jack laughs and winks at Gibbs who struggles not to grin.  
  
“That’s what you get,” Tony shakes his head, dropping a towel on Jaime’s head and drying him off a little.  
  
“Ah, Daaaad…come on, it was just a joke!”  
  
Tony grabs Jaime and plops him down on the picnic bench, “Finish eating.”  
  
Shea licks her fingers and shakes her head, “I told you so.”  
  
“Shut up, Shea.”  
  
“Be nice,” Tony admonishes.  
  
“She just thinks she’s cool because she’s in college now.”  
  
“I think I’m cool because I’m awesome,” Shea preens, “And because I’m going to Brown on a full scholarship.”  
  
“Full scholarship?” Tony repeats, looking impressed.  
  
“For sports, just like you Uncle Tony,” she grins.  
  
“Basketball?”  
  
“You know it,” she nods.  
  
Tony high-fives her, “Sweet.”  
  
Shea bites her lip when she notices Jaime sulking, “Jaime got All Star, right?”  
  
“V.I.P.,” Tony grins, ruffling Jaime’s hair.  
  
“Not as good as Shea though,” Jaime mumbles into his plate, shooting Shea a small smile.  
  
“Ok but I’ve been playing for a lot longer than you have, dummy.”  
  
Jaime sticks out his tongue and Shea snatches after it, laughing when he jerks away.  
  
“Jerk,” Jaime grins into his plate.  
  
“Loser,” Shea laughs, taking a big bite of potato salad.  
  
\--  
  
“So what’d Jack say?” Tony asks as the first of the fireworks start.  
  
Gibbs raises an eyebrow and Tony rolls his eyes.  
  
“Ok, so you didn’t give him the option to say no. When is he moving in?”  
  
“Didn’t set a date,” Gibbs shrugs, “We’ve gotta clean out the den and pack up all of his stuff. He’s got to get things sorted down at the store and…”  
  
“I get it,” Tony sighs, “Details.”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs nods, eyes settling on where Jaime’s sprawled out with Shea and Bitty Bobby on a blanket.  
  
Tony’s eyes go back to the fireworks as he takes Gibbs’ hand in his own.  
  
“He’ll be…” Tony pauses. Ok isn’t the right word. Old age isn’t like a bad case of the flu. You don’t get better.  
  
“He’ll be fine with us,” Tony finally finishes, “We’ll take care of him.”  
  
Gibbs gives Tony a subdued smile and squeezes his hand, “You suck at being comforting.”  
  
“Better at it than you,” Tony whips back.  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs chuckles.  
  
They soak up the warmth of the night and the comfort of being with the people they love. Senior manages to convince Jack to let him drive back to the house. Gibbs and Tony let Jaime doze on the blanket as they pack up the car – the cooler is lighter now that all the food has been eaten and the last of the ice is dumped in the grass so Gibbs doesn’t grumble overly much about Tony pushing himself too hard. They say their goodbyes and they tease Jaime as they pretend to struggle with picking him up off the ground. Tony wraps his arms around Jaime’s shoulders as Jaime wraps his arms around Tony’s waist and Tony steers him towards the car, Jaime’s eyes shut as he stumbles along sleepily.  
  
In the car Jaime sags against the door, snoring softly, and Tony glances at him fondly every once in a while.  
  
Mostly he watches Gibbs though, the way the streetlamps paint him with light and the way his eyes crinkle at the corners when he yawns. The car smells like chlorine and charcoal and sunscreen and freshly cut grass – like summer. Like the summers kids dream about when they close their eyes in bitter cold February hoping to wake up in June.  
  
Without even flicking a glance in his direction, Gibbs holds out his hand and Tony gladly takes it, lacing their fingers together as they make the peaceful drive home.


	38. Re-Establishing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Tony shoves him playfully and Gibbs stumbles, glancing back at Tony with an amused glare that makes Tony feel anxiety like he hasn’t felt in years.  
  
“Gibbs…”  
  
“Jaime!” Gibbs yells.  
  
“Yeah, Papa?” Jaime answers distractedly as he walks in from the kitchen, putting away his cell phone.  
  
Gibbs grins ferally and advances on Tony swiftly, “Tickle time.”  
  
Tony’s eyes go wide as Gibbs tackles him and Jaime lets out a loud shout of joy as he runs over and attacks Tony’s sides with his fingers. Tony barks out a sharp, high yell and then starts laughing – going completely red in the face.  
  
“No, no, no!” he begs, “Please…Oh, God…Jethro! Stop!”  
  
“Nope,” Gibbs grins, tightening his grip on Tony.  
  
Tony’s laughing so hard he can barely breathe and neither Gibbs nor Jaime are letting up. Jack pauses for a second to see what all the commotion is about, shakes his head and keeps walking out the door. He’s made some new friends down at the local community center and they’re going out to dinner tonight – and he’s learned better than to interfere at this point. Jack opens the door to find Senior on the doorstep; he smirks and brushes past him, waving to his friend Dan who has just pulled up. Senior’s brow furrows faintly as he watches Jack go and he suddenly notices the laughter pouring out from the foyer. He turns and pauses as Tony squirms desperately.  
  
“Dad!” Tony wheezes, “Help!”  
  
Senior stands in the doorway with a raised eyebrow and an amused smirk, just staring as Jaime whirls around and launches himself into his arms.  
  
“G-pa!”  
  
Gibbs doesn’t release Tony as Senior hugs Jaime, ruffling his hair fondly.  
  
Without a word Senior walks over and pokes Tony’s tender side, eyebrow still raised as Tony lets out a noise close to a shriek. With a calculating look he pokes again and Tony curls up slightly, giving him a pleading look that Senior pointedly ignores.  
  
“Jaime? Right side.”  
  
With that Senior begins tickling Tony’s left side and Jaime bounds forward, resuming his attack on Tony’s right side until Tony’s crying with laughter.  
  
“Alright,” Gibbs says with far too much calm, “I think that’s enough.”  
  
Tony lets out a strangled sound of relief and turns slightly, sagging into Gibbs as he struggles to even out his breathing. Weakly, he punches Gibbs in the shoulder and glares at him.  
  
“You guys are going to be late if you don’t get a move on,” Gibbs says to Senior and Jaime.  
  
“Are you ready?” Senior asks Jaime who’s still grinning wildly.  
  
“Yes, sir.”  
  
Senior nods approvingly and pats Tony’s shoulder before heading out the door.  
  
“Have fun,” Tony warbles.  
  
“Bye Dad, bye Papa!”  
  
“Have fun, kiddo,” Gibbs waves.  
  
“Where are they going again?” Tony exhales heavily after the door has shut.  
  
“That circus…Cirque du Soleil.”  
  
“Without us?”  
  
“Senior only had two tickets and the only tickets they had left for tonight’s show were almost two hundred bucks a pop.”  
  
“Jesus.”  
  
“Besides,” Gibbs grins, “You and me…a night alone.”  
  
“Oh, you mean I get the TV all to myself for once?”  
  
Gibbs scowls at him.  
  
“One TV in the whole house, Gibbs. I don’t count the dinosaur in the basement.”  
  
Gibbs snorts, “It’s been thirteen years, Tony. You aren’t over that yet?”  
  
With a faint glare Tony pulls back.  
  
“You laid down the law and I respected it,” Tony says evenly, “That doesn’t mean I _like_ the law.”  
  
“You know,” Gibbs grins, sending another faint thrill of anxiety up Tony’s spine, “I think I’ve been giving you too much free rein.”  
  
Tony raises an eyebrow and takes a step into Gibbs’ space.  
  
“ _Giving me_ , **Boss**?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs growls, “ _giving_.”  
  
Though some small part of him quails, Tony stands his ground.  
  
“You want to explain that, Gibbs?”  
  
He puts his hands on his hips and smiles in that way he knows annoys the hell out of Gibbs, quirking his head to the side in a way that would set off warning bells for anyone with a lick of sense.  
  
“Sure, Tony. I mean that over the past couple of years I’ve let you take the lead in this relationship and because of that you seem to think I’ve become a pushover.”  
  
Tony’s eyebrows shoot up and he blinks at Gibbs.  
  
“Trust me, Gibbs…I have never suffered from delusions and I would have to be _completely_ delusional to think you were a pushover,” Tony casts his gaze to the ceiling, “Well…you are for Jaime and sometimes Abby but uh…don’t worry. I won’t tell them.”  
  
“Still,” Gibbs grins, “I think I need to help you remember who the boss is.”  
  
“Tony Danza?”  
  
Gibbs grabs Tony and quickly divests him of his jacket, shoving him up the stairs.  
  
In the bedroom he strips efficiently and Tony sheds the rest of his clothes, watching Gibbs with narrowed eyes. He has the feeling he’ll enjoy this, even if his ego takes a bruising. With a smirk Gibbs tosses a few pillows on the floor and nods at them.  
  
“On your knees.”  
  
With a raised eyebrow Tony drops to his knees and puts his hands on his thighs, spreading his legs to make sure Gibbs has a good view.  
  
Gibbs’ tongue darts out, just barely moistening his lips. Tenderly, he runs his fingers through Tony’s hair, watching Tony’s eyes flutter shut with a smile before holding Tony’s head firmly.  
  
“Open up.”  
  
Tony’s mouth falls open and Gibbs guides his half-hard dick between Tony’s lips, trying not to groan. Slowly, gently he fucks Tony’s mouth, stroking and scratching at Tony’s scalp.  
  
After a few minutes where his strokes become progressively longer and deeper, he hears and feels Tony moan. With a faint frown Gibbs pulls away and steps back, looking down at Tony. Tony’s got his fingers up inside of himself and Gibbs glances over at the open drawer on the nightstand and then back at Tony, lips red and shiny from spit, eyes lidded and fingers still thrusting in and out of his body. He wonders, briefly, how the hell Tony managed that without Gibbs noticing but then Tony’s eyes lock with his and thinking becomes too difficult to bother with. With a smirk, Tony turns and grips the edge of the mattress, looking over his shoulder at Gibbs.  
  
“Fuck,” Gibbs mutters, grabbing up the lube as he drops behind Tony.  
  
He slicks up and slides in, holding Tony tightly against him. There’s only one soft kiss pressed to Tony’s shoulder before Gibbs sets up a fast pace, pounding into Tony with almost wild abandon, hips snapping as Tony groans and holds on to the mattress tight, mouth hanging open.  
  
Neither of them lasts long though Gibbs valiantly manages to finish Tony off before cumming himself. After long moments, shaking and clinging to one another, they finally pull apart to clean up.  
  
Tony stands up just to collapse on the bed, sitting there looking faintly dazed. Gibbs stands up and tilts Tony’s head back, one hand tangled firmly in Tony’s hair and the other at Tony’s throat as he kisses the last of the sense right out of Tony’s mind.  
  
“So who’s the boss?” Gibbs grins, fingers still in Tony’s hair as he ducks his head to nip at the long line of Tony’s throat.  
  
Gibbs shouts as he’s thrown back on the mattress and then grunts as Tony settles on him heavily.  
  
“You,” Tony grins down at him before kissing Gibbs thoroughly.  
  
Gibbs squints one eye shut and peers up at Tony when they break apart for air.  
  
“You placating me?”  
  
“Totally,” Tony grins wildly.  
  
Gibbs’ cuffs him and Tony laughs.  
  
“Face it, Gibbs,” Tony shakes his head, “It’s been co-boss for a while now.”  
  
With a faint glare, Gibbs sighs.  
  
“When did that happen?”  
  
“The second you _let me_ take the lead in this relationship.”  
  
“I give you an inch…”  
  
“I take ten miles,” Tony shrugs, “You know me, Gibbs.”  
  
Gibbs’ glare fades into a fond smile, “Yeah. Yeah, I do.”


	39. Car Crash

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

He’s exhausted. He’s been up for twenty-seven hours straight, it’s three in the morning and all signs point to him not going to bed anytime soon.  
  
The news of the car accident had nearly brought Tony to his knees before he’d heard the doctor telling him that everything would be fine.  
  
Now he’s in an exam room watching his son struggle to get his good leg under him and stand up. Tony reaches out to help but Jaime glares at him.  
  
“I can do it myself,” Jaime grunts, pulling away from Tony.  
  
He can’t quite help the spike of hurt but Tony steps back, holding his hands up in placation as he watches Jaime struggle with the crutches.  
  
“I’m um…I’m gonna go see if your Papa’s uh…”  
  
He can’t take it anymore. Tony stumbles forward and wraps Jaime up in his arms, trying to hold back the tears.  
  
“Geez, Dad, I’m fine.”  
  
“I know, just shut up, ok? I was worried.”  
  
Jaime hugs him back as best he can and squints up at him when he pulls away.  
  
“It’s just a broken leg.”  
  
“It could’ve been worse.”  
  
“But it wasn’t,” Jaime shrugs.  
  
Tony kisses Jaime’s forehead and hugs him again.  
  
“I love you so much.”  
  
“I love you too,” Jaime says, sounding uncertain and maybe a little scared.  
  
With a heavy sigh, Tony pulls away and pats Jaime’s cheek, striding out of the room quickly to go see Gibbs.  
  
Gibbs is slouched back in a chair looking sleepy and dazed at the same time. His head is wrapped in bandages and the side of his face is swollen and bruised from slamming into the car window. The drunk driver had hit Jaime’s side of the car but thankfully hadn’t been going fast enough to do too much damage.  
  
Still when Tony sees Gibbs sitting there he almost loses it. He came close – _so close_ – to losing the two most important people in his life.  
  
“Hey…you with me?”  
  
Gibbs peers up at him blearily, squinting.  
  
“Tony?”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony nods, swallowing thickly.  
  
“They catch the fucking bastard?”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony nods again, laughing a little.  
  
“Good,” Gibbs grunts, getting to his feet and swaying slightly.  
  
Tony is immediately at his side and Gibbs grumbles at him.  
  
“I’m fine,” he grunts.  
  
“I know,” Tony breathes, pressing his forehead to Gibbs’ temple.  
  
“You ok?” Gibbs mutters.  
  
“Yeah. Be better once I get the two of you home.”  
  
Gibbs wraps an arm around his waist and pats Tony’s cheek.  
  
“Doc gave me some meds. Said they should knock me out in about an hour.”  
  
“Ok. I got your prescriptions from the hospital pharmacy already.”  
  
The drive home is quiet and though Gibbs grumbles once or twice about his car he really spends the whole ride with an arm wrapped around Jaime who’s starting to come down from the adrenaline rush. He watches their son with eyes that aren’t able to completely focus and Tony tries not to see the pain and fear in them.  
Tony has to cut Jaime out of his jeans and then help him into a pair of pyjama pants. He holds him again before tucking him in and Jaime looks displeased with the babying but bites his tongue.  
  
When he walks into the bedroom Gibbs is just sitting on the side of the bed, head hung and eyes shut.  
  
“You fall asleep on me?”  
  
Gibbs shakes his head faintly and reaches out with one hand, beckoning Tony closer.  
  
“How’s your head?”  
  
“It’ll be fine. Meds are kicking in.”  
  
Tony kisses his cheek and sits beside him.  
  
“Help me with my shoes? Think if I bend over I’ll go ass over tea kettle.”  
  
Tony gracefully drops to his knees, tugging off Gibbs’ shoes and socks, helping Gibbs stay steady as he shucks off his pants and shirt. He draws back the blankets, watching as Gibbs sits down heavily and falls back, curling up on his side.  
  
“I’ll be right back.”  
  
“…‘kay.” Gibbs yawns.  
  
With Gibbs’ dirty, blood splattered clothes in hand, Tony walks down to the bathroom to put them in the hamper. He locks the bathroom door and sits down on the edge of the tub, staring at the dark, stiff stain on Gibbs’ shirt. A sob wrenches out of him and he presses his face to the only clean spot, muffling the noise as he cries uncontrollably for several long minutes.  
  
A soft knock startles him and Tony takes a few deep breaths.  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
The door swings open and Gibbs tosses the key onto the counter, stumbling in and sitting on the toilet.  
  
“Coulda done that in bed,” he grumbles as he hauls Tony against him, holding him tight.  
  
A shuddering breath sets Tony to crying again, softer this time. Gibbs strokes his hair and rubs his back.  
  
“Sorry,” Tony whispers after he settles.  
  
“It’s ok. I might cry too,” Gibbs smirks, “Just not while my head feels split open.”  
  
“If you need to get snot on me I won’t complain,” Tony chuckles, feeling better but also faintly guilty for crying all over Gibbs when Gibbs was the one who had gotten hurt.  
  
“You never do.”  
  
“So…bed?”  
  
“Sounds good.”  
  
Under the covers they lie on their sides, facing one another and Tony holds Gibbs’ hand, staring at him long after Gibbs has fallen asleep.


	40. Getting older but not old or A vignette and a school dance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Jaime is all Tony’s green eyes and Olyvia’s dark curls. He’s got Tony’s long, gangly limbs and Tony’s bright grin and Olyvia’s sloping nose.  
  
Somewhere in there is Gibbs’ intensity and strength, the focus and discipline mixed with Tony’s humor and gregariousness. He stands like Gibbs, always observant of his surroundings.  
  
Tony looks at his son and he’s a little amazed sometimes at how much he sees Gibbs there.   
  
\--   
  
“Dad?”  
  
“Yeah?” Tony says distractedly, trying to glare the leaky sink pipe into submission, “Where’s your Papa? I need his help with something.”  
  
“Um…he went to the store,” Jaime says hesitantly, “I wanna ask you something.”  
  
Tony pushes the bucket back under the leak and climbs out from under the sink, brushing off his hands.  
  
“Don’t use that sink for a while, ok? Now, what’s up?”  
  
Jaime shifts, getting an annoyed look that Tony recognizes from Gibbs.  
  
“Spill, kiddo.”  
  
“There’s this girl in my class, her name is Beyonce and I really like her and I want to ask her to the fall dance but I don’t know what to say,” Jaime rushes out.  
  
“Bring her some flowers and say ‘I was wondering if the prettiest girl in the whole school might want to go to the fall dance with me’ and watch her melt. Then try not to say anything really stupid. That last part is the really hard part.”  
  
Jaime frowns a little, looking him over.  
  
“Are you sure? I mean, you’ve never even been with a girl, have you?”  
  
Tony scoffs and puts his hands on his hips with a disbelieving grin.  
  
“I? I had loads of girlfriends before I fell in love with your Papa. _Loads_ ,” he shakes his head, “Where do you think you came from, a clone pod?”  
  
With a disgusted sigh Jaime throws his hands in the air, “I don’t know! I mean Olyvia…she could have been like a surrogate or whatever!”  
  
Tony laughs, “We were _dating_. It just…didn’t work out.”  
  
This seems to prick Jaime’s curiousity.  
  
“So were you in love with her?”  
  
“No,” Tony shrugs, “I don’t think I’ve really ever been in love with anybody besides your Papa.”  
  
“You guys are so…gross,” Jaime squirms, grinning in a way that tells Tony it’s not really gross at all.  
  
“Yeah, love is like that.”  
  
“…Dad, why is Olyvia like…the way she is?”  
  
“She’s…” Tony sighs, “She’s sick, buddy. She’s been sick since she was about your age and it makes her act a little funny.”  
  
“But she’s doing better now?”  
  
“Yeah, she’s taking medicine.”  
  
Jaime bites his lip and scuffs his boot on the tile, “She doesn’t like to talk about it, does she? I mean…she always tries really hard to act like she’s fine but she’s…you know, _not_ and I can tell.”  
  
“God, Jaime…she tries to hide it because she loves you. She doesn’t want you to see her when she’s all screwed up.”  
  
“That’s why she left when I was little?”  
  
Tony pulls him close and hugs him.  
  
“Yeah, it is. She was afraid of hurting you.”  
  
“But she wouldn’t have, would she?”  
  
“I don’t think so. But the sickness makes her think that way.”  
  
Jaime holds on to his father hard, chest tight and eyes stinging.  
  
“Do you wish you’d never met her?”  
  
“If I’d never met her I wouldn’t have you,” Tony smiles gently, brushing Jaime’s hair back from his face, “And I love you.”  
  
“Dad…”  
  
“I love you, I love you, I love you,” Tony laughs, kissing Jaime’s cheeks over and over as he tickles him.  
  
“Dad!” Jaime screeches, struggling and laughing.  
  
Tony swings him around and hugs him tight again.  
  
“I really, really love you,” he says firmly.  
  
He never wants Jaime to doubt that for a second.  
  
“I know,” Jaime grins, voice a little bashful, “I love you too, Dad.”  
  
“I’m home!” Gibbs calls from the front door.  
  
Jaime turns and runs to him, throwing his arms around him and squeezing tight.  
  
“Woah, hey…” Gibbs staggers back a little.  
  
“I love you, Papa.”  
  
Gibbs hugs him back, pressing a kiss to his hair.  
  
“I love you too.”  
  
He casts Tony a curious glance and Tony signs that he’ll explain later.  
  
“You ok?” Gibbs asks softly.  
  
Jaime nods and pulls back.  
  
“I’m gonna go over Neill’s house, ok?”  
  
“Dinner’s in two hours,” Tony says, waving him off.  
  
“Ok!” Jaime calls as he grabs his skateboard and runs out the door.  
  
“What was that all about?”  
  
“He was asking about his mom and…” Tony shrugs, “he got a little upset.”  
  
“What’d you tell him?” Gibbs growls.  
  
“The _truth_? Is that for the sink?” he gestures towards the bag in Gibbs’ hand.  
  
“Yeah, it’s leaking.”  
  
“Yeah, I noticed,” Tony snarks.  
  
“So what’d you say?” Gibbs persists.  
  
“That his mom is sick. He asked if that’s why she left, I said yes.”  
  
“ _And_?”  
  
“He asked if I was sorry I met her and I said no, because it brought me him. I was very fatherly, you would’ve been proud.”  
  
With a snort, Gibbs leans up and kisses him.  
  
“Teenagers.”  
  
“God, as long as he doesn’t start listening to whiny music and calling me _Tony_ or _Father_ we’ll be ok,” Tony grimaces.  
  
“He calls either of us by our first names he’s going to be cleaning out every gutter in the neighborhood. The whiny music I’ll tolerate at reasonable levels.”  
  
They lean down to inspect the still leaking pipe and Tony frowns.  
  
“So…what, we turn off the water, right?”  
  
“You don’t know?” Gibbs teases.  
  
“We had _people_ for these kinds of things, Jethro. I have never done household repairs in my _life_.”  
  
“About damn time you learned. Shoulda made the kid stay too.”  
  
“You’re not turning our child into a handyman.”  
  
“He needs to learn how to take care of things like this himself.”  
  
“Which is why he has you.”  
  
Gibbs slaps a wrench into Tony’s palm and raises an eyebrow.  
  
“Let’s go shut off the water.”  
  
Tony groans and rises, holding out a hand to help Gibbs to his feet.  
  
“You don’t really love me.”  
  
“I love you just fine, it’s just tough love.”  
  
“It’s abuse.”  
  
A sharp smack to his ass makes Tony jump and whirl around.  
  
“I could still make it abuse,” Gibbs smirks.  
  
Tony holds up the wrench threateningly.  
  
“I could make it abuse back.”  
  
“You gonna spank me?”  
  
“I’ll take you over my knee and make you say uncle.”  
  
“Yeah?” Gibbs grins, crowding Tony up against the door, “maybe I’d like it.”  
  
Tony leans in, voice gone deep and husky, mouth barely centimeters from Gibbs, “Maybe after we fix the sink you can take your punishment like a good boy.”  
  
With a wicked smirk he pulls away, opening the back door and stepping outside.  
  
Gibbs watches him, eyes dark with lust and smirks back.  
  
“You know I always try to be a good boy.”  
  
“Yeah,” Tony chuckles throatily, “I know.”  
  
  
  
 **Part B** NC-17.  
  
  
  
Tony is sitting on the bed, still fully clothed, looking at Gibbs expectantly.  
  
“Strip,” he orders.  
  
Gibbs locks the door and shrugs off his shirt.  
  
“Have I been a bad boy?” Gibbs laughs, kicking off his pants.  
  
“Oh,” Tony grins, quirking his head, finger waving admonishingly in the air, “very bad.”  
  
Gibbs stands in front of him, lets Tony look his fill. Tony scoots back a little and pats his thigh.  
  
“Ass up, Gunny.”  
  
With a raised eyebrow, Gibbs lays across Tony’s lap, glad for the support of the mattress. The first smack makes him jump and hiss in a sharp breath. Tony isn’t going to go easy on him. He’s more prepared for the second smack and the third but the shock of Tony’s force and consistency is an impossible turn on. He sets up a rhythm that has Gibbs fisting the sheets, writhing and moaning.  
  
“Pink’s a good color on you,” Tony observes, rubbing over the tingling skin with work rough hands.  
  
“ _Christ_ ,” Gibbs pants, voice harsh, hips grinding against Tony’s thigh.  
  
Another sharp smack draws a surprised yelp out of him. Tony continues until both cheeks are stinging and hot and Gibbs’ dick is achingly hard, pressed against rough denim.  
  
“What do you think,” Tony asks, punctuating his question with another smack, “should I let you jerk off while I keep spanking you?”  
  
Two more smacks that practically have Gibbs sobbing into the sheets.  
  
“Or do you want me to fuck you? Take you hard from behind and pound you into the mattress until you scream?”  
  
Tony takes up his previous rhythm again until Gibbs is positive he will not be able to sit down tomorrow or possibly the rest of the week. Tony peppers the occasional smack down on Gibbs’ thighs, presses a dry thumb against Gibbs’ hole until the other man can’t take it anymore.  
  
“Tony!” he cries out, voice breaking a little.  
  
Tony smacks him again, “Yes?”  
  
“Christ, you’re going to kill me.”  
  
Tony chuckles and delivers a final smack, “Oh, but it will be _such_ a good death, Gibbs.”  
  
Cool lube trickles down between his throbbing, hot cheeks, contrast shocking. Gibbs moans and feels a finger following that trail of liquid, tantalizing, teasing. Tony just rubs at his asshole for a while.  
  
“God,” Tony growls, “You should see yourself. You look like something straight out of a porno. Like I could get a line of guys in here to fuck you and you’d still be begging me for it.”  
  
Gibbs thrusts back against Tony’s finger as it finally penetrates him, silently asking for more. The way he’s feeling he’d do anything Tony asked him to do right now and he’s relaxed – even with his dick practically in knots – in the knowledge that Tony would never ask him to do anything he didn’t want to do. Tony gives Gibbs another finger, going slow, taking his time.  
  
“You know Abby offered to buy us some toys?” Tony says, almost conversationally, tone almost too calm, “I was thinking about how much I’d like to see you fuck yourself with a vibrator.”  
  
He puts a hand on Gibbs’ throat and in a voice that’s low and deep and dark he says, “Hold still.”  
  
Gibbs’ breath heaves in and out of his chest as he struggles to keep himself from thrusting. Tony rewards him with another slick finger, sliding them in and out of Gibbs without touching his prostate.  
  
“Like I was saying, vibrators. One with a remote control so I could control the settings. Or maybe a butt plug - you ever see one of those, Gibbs? You could wear it all day, think of me every time you move…just the right way…” with that he brushes his fingers over the electric spot inside and Gibbs gasps, “think of me fucking you. And when I came home you would be ready for me, no prep time, no foreplay. Just my dick shoved inside you, over and over until you cum so hard you see stars.”  
  
He’s going to come apart. Every nerve in his ass, in his asshole, his dick is screaming at him and he can’t move. Tony’s fingers are pleasant torture, sparks of pleasure that only fan the flames, even as they miss their target. And the things he’s saying are gripping him right by the balls, dragging hot, needy moans out of his mouth before he can think to stop them.  
  
Tony withdraws his fingers and wipes them on Gibbs thigh, pushing him back slightly. He leans back on his elbows, still dressed with a wet spot on his jeans where Gibbs has been humping his leg. His jacket falls open and he splays his legs, revealing the bulge straining against his zipper.  
  
“Get it wet.”  
  
With trembling fingers Gibbs unzips and unbuttons, drawing out Tony’s erection, taking the familiar length into his mouth. Tony groans, head falling back as Gibbs works him over with enthusiasm.  
  
“God, you’re so hot.”  
  
He shifts, reaching up to stroke Gibbs’ hair and squeeze at his shoulder. After a minute he pushes Gibbs off of him and stands.  
  
“On your hands and knees, Marine,” Tony says, in _that_ voice.  
  
Gibbs crawls up the mattress, resting his head on his arms, ass in the air, waiting; his whole body is threatening to shake apart. Tony comes up behind him, reaches around and squeezes the base of his dick, pulls on his balls. Gibbs growls at him, starts to turn and Tony delivers another sharp smack to his already smarting rear.  
  
“I’m not done with you yet.”  
  
“ _God_ …” Gibbs grinds out, frustrated almost beyond reason, “would you _fuck me_ already?”  
  
Tony only chuckles throatily, pressing the head of his cock up against Gibbs’ hole and pausing.  
  
“What’s the magic word?”  
  
“ _Please_ ,” Gibbs bites out, “Or I will _kill you_.”  
  
Without further torment Tony slides in with one continuous push. Tony fits his hips snugly to Gibbs backside, Tony’s flesh almost cool against his.  
  
“ _Thank you_ ,” Gibbs moans.  
  
That earns him a laugh and Tony starts slowly thrusting in and out in short strokes that don’t quite reach the mark.  
  
“So what do you think about the vibrator?”  
  
“I think if you don’t start putting your back into it I’m gonna make sure you go to work with blue balls every day for the next month,” Gibbs snaps.  
  
Tony thrusts once, twice, hard and fast and then resumes his previous pace.  
  
“Unless you break both of my hands, Gibbs, you can’t stop me from jacking off in the shower…or the car while I sit in traffic. And then you’d be sorry that some dirty truck driver got an eyeful of my dick instead of you.”  
  
“Then I’ll break both of your hands. They can put you on desk duty.”  
  
“Mmm…maybe I should start worrying then.”  
  
The thrusts become longer, deeper but still agonizingly slow.  
  
“Tony…Christ… _please_.”  
  
Tony nudges Gibbs’ legs further apart and grabs his hips, snapping thrusts into Gibbs that force him to put his hands against the headboard. It’s hard and dirty and fast and exactly what Gibbs needs to cum all over the mussed up sheets, hoarsely shouting his release into Tony’s pillow. Tony pulls out at the last second and paints his red backside with white, hot cum. Gibbs can’t move, his orgasm was too intense and he has the feeling he’s going to be aching, full body, from it tomorrow. He moans as Tony’s tongue cleans the cum off his ass and thighs, tender kisses soothing still throbbing flesh.  
  
“Wait here.”  
  
Gibbs starts to get up once Tony has shuffled off but only manages to collapse half on and half off the bed. Tony gives a hot, low groan at the sight.  
  
“Gibbs…God, you’re like a never-ending buffet of hotness.”  
  
“That good, huh?” Gibbs chuckles, wiggling his ass a little.  
  
“If we were ten years younger I would fuck you at least two more times before morning.”  
  
He leans over Gibbs and pushes two fingers into still wet heat, making Gibbs fist the sheets. Tony crooks his fingers expertly and Gibbs’ stiffens, half-flash of orgasm firing off in his belly, spent cock twitching.  
  
“I’d fuck you until you couldn’t walk,” Tony promises.  
  
He twists his fingers again, another flash, another groan, Gibbs’ body almost too sensitive to be touched.  
  
“Too much,” Gibbs gasps, too spent to escape.  
  
Tony only presses again, stars exploding into Gibbs’ vision as he orgasms again. He blinks his eyes open to find himself laid out on his stomach, Tony rubbing something cool and soothing over his ass and thighs.  
  
“What…?”  
  
“You passed out on me.”  
  
Tony wiggles the bottle of aloe gel in front of Gibbs’ face.  
  
“I’ll put some more of this on you in the morning.”  
  
“You gonna fuck me again in the morning?”  
  
Tony’s hands go still for a moment as he obviously tries not to squeeze the flesh under his fingers.  
  
“I’ll make sure to wake up early,” he says with forced calm.  
  
Gibbs smirks and lets Tony take care of him. The top sheets he came all over have been stripped off the bed, replaced by some clean, mismatching sheets and the quilt neither of them can remember the origins of.  
  
“We should kiss for a while and then pass out,” Tony suggests confidently.  
  
“You wanna wake up covered in my drool again?”  
  
“I’ll use it as lube.”  
  
He slides close and opens his arms, grinning as Gibbs grunts and flops down on top of him. They kiss languidly until sleep pulls them apart.  
  
  
  
 **Part C** PG-13.  
  
  
  
Gibbs is leaning over the counter, sipping his coffee and reading the paper. Tony had fucked him slow and sweet that morning and his ass was equal parts pleasant soreness and dull, well-spanked throb. He didn’t see himself sitting down for the rest of the day and was only glad it wasn’t one of his days down at the shelter.  
  
Jaime walks in, takes one look at them and covers his face.  
  
“Oh, God, you guys had _sex_ didn’t you?”  
  
“Excuse me?” Tony laughs, eyes wide.  
  
Gibbs takes Jaime’s approach to the situation though and hides his face behind the newspaper.  
  
“Every time you guys do it you look like…you know! _God_.”  
  
Jaime stomps over to the cereal at the counter and pours a heaping bowl of it, drowning it in milk.  
  
“Can’t you wait until I’m in college or something?”  
  
“Oh, Jesus, Jaime, get over it!” Tony snaps, “Grown-ups do it!”  
  
“Could you at least _pretend_ you’re not?”  
  
“We…yeah, sure, we’ll do our best. Now finish eating and get ready for school.”  
  
  
 **Part D**. PG-13.  
  
  
  
“Gibbs,” Tony whispers sharply, “What are you doing?”  
  
“Trying to be friendly.”  
  
“Stop trying. You look scary. You’re scaring the children. Do you see how scared they are?”  
  
Gibbs narrows his eyes and frowns, “Is that better?”  
  
“At least it’s a face your son and I recognize,” Tony says with mock concern, “This is a safe place, Gibbs. You can be yourself here.”  
  
With a snort, Gibbs smacks him upside the head and Beyonce giggles, slapping a hand over her mouth when Gibbs shoots her a glare too.  
  
“Don’t worry,” Jaime assures her, “That means he likes you.”  
  
“Do I _want_ him to like me?”  
  
“You want him to _not_ like you?”  
  
Beyonce eyes Gibbs and shakes her head, “No…but is he gonna smack me?”  
  
“Only if he loves you,” Tony grins, rubbing the back of his head.  
  
“Pictures!” Gibbs barks, snatching the camera from Tony, “Try not to look too terrified of me.”  
  
Beyonce giggles again, wrapping an arm around Jaime’s waist. They smile with the ease of children and for a moment Gibbs has to blink because there’s too much Tony in Jaime’s grin and it makes him feel a little misty.  
  
He clicks off a few shots, letting Tony inspect them with a critical eye.  
  
“Not bad, not bad. Ok, so…we better get out of here.”  
  
Tony pecks a chaste kiss onto Gibbs’ lips and grabs his coat and keys.  
  
“I’ll be back in a bit to join you for an ‘Oh My God our son is growing up’ freak out.”  
  
“I’d hate to have it alone,” Gibbs smirks, waving at the kids, “Bye-bye.”  
  
“Bye Papa!”  
  
“Bye Mr. Gibbs!”  
  
“Beyonce,” Tony says conversationally, “Have you listened to any of the music by your namesake?”  
  
Beyonce groans, “Oh my God, Mr. DiNozzo, please don’t play any in the car.”  
  
Tony laughs and Gibbs shuts the door, shaking his head.  
  
  
 **Part E**. PG-13.  
  
  
  
“Hey, kiddo, what’s wrong?”  
  
Jaime kicks at a patch of dirt and shrugs.  
  
“Did the dirt call you names?”  
  
“No,” Jaime says sullenly with a roll of his eyes.  
  
“Ok, so what’s wrong?”  
  
“Beyonce and I broke up and now she’s dating _Zach_.”  
  
“Well, son, if you liked it then you should’ve put a ring on it.”  
  
“What?”  
  
“You’re not irreplaceable.”  
  
“Are you quoting _Beyonce_ songs?”  
  
“…Come on,” Tony grins, “It was too easy.”  
  
“You were _waiting_ for us to break up just so you could do that, weren’t you?”  
  
“No…but I did have them prepared for that eventuality.”  
  
“…what’s an eventuality?”  
  
“Something that may happen.”  
  
“Oh. You’re still a jerk.”  
  
“Yeah, a little.”  
  
Tony grunts as he sits down next to Jaime, leaning back against the tree.  
  
“Sorry about your break-up. Those are never easy.”  
  
Jaime leans against Tony a little and Tony throws an arm around his shoulders.  
  
“It was kind of my fault.”  
  
“How come?”  
  
“She wanted to hang out more and I wanted to hang out with Neill and…I don’t know. We yelled at each other and then we broke up. I mean I saw her all the time, we talked every night, I just wanted to hang out with Neill for a while, you know?”  
  
“Ah…the possessive type. Trust me, you dodged a bullet,” Tony says sagely, squeezing Jaime’s arm.  
  
“Anyway, Zach is stupid. He can’t even do Algebra.”  
  
“You’re already doing Algebra?”  
  
With a disgusted sigh, Jaime looks up at Tony.  
  
“You signed my _class schedule_ for this semester, don’t you _remember_?”  
  
Tony frowns, thinking back on the last couple of months.  
  
“Must have blocked it from my memory. I’m traumatized by the idea of you not being four anymore.”  
  
“You are _such_ a dork.”  
  
Gibbs comes out on the back porch and leans against one of the posts.  
  
“You guys coming in for dinner some time tonight? Made burgers.”  
  
Tony presses a kiss into Jaime’s hair and hugs him tight.  
  
“Help your old man up,” he grins, letting Jaime yank at his arm.  
  
“You’re not _that_ old.”  
  
“How about Papa?”  
  
Gibbs slaps them both upside the head as they pass him by.  
  
“Still young enough to kick both your butts.”  
  
Tony sits down at the table and picks up the folder next to his plate curiously.  
  
“What’s this?”  
  
Gibbs bites his lip and shakes his head, motioning for Tony to open it. Tony squints at him, knowing Gibbs’ nervous face when he sees it. He opens it without asking again though and starts reading over what’s obviously a legal document.  
  
“It’s legal now,” Gibbs manages, “I mean, has been for a while but…”  
  
“You want to marry me?” Tony breathes.  
  
Jaime looks up from his burger, blob of catsup spilling out and onto his pants without him noticing.  
  
“You guys aren’t married yet? Geez, what took you so long!”  
  
“Wasn’t legal when we first got together and then…” Gibbs shrugs.  
  
“It wasn’t legal?” Jaime frowns.  
  
“Nope.”  
  
“That’s stupid.”  
  
“Yep.”  
  
Tony just continues blinking at the folder, mouth hanging open slightly.  
  
“Wait, so you could adopt me but you couldn’t get married? That’s so freaking stupid!”  
  
Gibbs sees a temper tantrum blossoming and pulls Jaime’s plate away from him, plucking the glass of water away as well.  
  
“I mean, what…why would anybody… _that’s so stupid_!” Jaime’s arms flail out.  
  
“Jaime…” Tony says softly, “It’s ok.”  
  
“It’s _not_ ok!”  
  
“It’s ok _now_ ,” Tony amends, “Papa’s even on my health insurance, I mean you couldn’t do that twenty years ago at NCIS. It’s better _now_.”  
  
Jaime snatches his plate and his drink back, grunting as he swipes at the catsup on his pants.  
  
“Are you going to have a ceremony?”  
  
“Kiddo?”  
  
“Yeah?”  
  
“I need to kiss your Papa and you need to eat your food.”  
  
Jaime takes a big bite and chews it with exaggerated carefulness as Tony grabs Gibbs and kisses him soundly.  
  
“Yes,” he grins, “The answer’s yes.”  
  
Gibbs huffs out a laugh and smiles back.  
  
“Good.”  
  
“…if you had a ceremony I could help,” Jaime says into his plate.  
  
Tony laughs and puts his head in his hands.  
  
“Oh, my God, if we have a ceremony Abby has to be the flower girl.”  
  
Gibbs groans, “God…”  
  
In the end they decide against a ceremony. They fill out the paperwork and Tony orders them some simple, gold bands on-line. They go down to City Hall and say their “I do”s with Abby and Jaime as their witnesses. Senior sends them champagne, Jack gets them a card with some money tucked in it and the well meaning advice to ‘take a goddamned vacation’.  
  
So Jaime stays home with Jack while Tony and Gibbs spend three days in Italy. They’ll get home before the postcards do but they send them anyway. Tony gets to speak Italian and they spend more time in the countryside than the cities.  
  
Ultimately nothing changes. They’re so settled by now that all of the usual marriage things are laid firmly in place. But there’s the small satisfaction of being able to say ‘and this is my husband…’ and having it be legally _true_ or looking down and seeing the ring. Maybe it’s silly for something so little to mean so much but neither of them question the rightness of it.  
  
At the end of the day all that really matters is that they’re together.


	41. How To Deal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

Jaime makes it in the door first, grinning wide as he turns around to crow out his victory. His face falls when he sees his father stumbling in the door, breath coming in choked wheezes as he bends over and then collapses.  
  
“Dad?”  
  
Tony’s breath comes shorter and shallower until he stops breathing all together and Jaime stands there, eyes wide, staring.  
  
“Dad?”  
  
He falls to his knees and turns Tony on his back, shaking him a little.  
  
“Dad? Daddy? Daddy, come on…” Jaime looks around, “Papa! Papa! PAPA!”  
  
He’s screaming now, screeching, voice high and panicked. Gibbs comes barreling up from the basement, skidding to a halt, heart stopping for just a moment as he takes in the scene before him.  
  
“What happened?” he barks, jerking back into action.  
  
“We went for a run and he started wheezing and…”  
  
Gibbs runs to the kitchen, knocking over a table in the process, sending pictures and a lamp crashing to the ground. He drops to the floor at Tony’s side hard when he returns, jamming an epi pen into Tony’s thigh.  
  
“Jaime…Jaime!” Gibbs shakes him, “Go up to our bedroom. In the closet there’s a small tank of oxygen, bring it here.”  
  
Jaime crouches back, nodding, eyes fixed on his father.  
  
“Jaime, _now_!”  
  
He scrambles to his feet, tearing up the stairs.  
  
“Come on, Tony” Gibbs coaxes, “Take a breath for me. Come on…”  
  
Gibbs presses his fingers to Tony’s throat and finds a thready pulse.   
  
“God…God, don’t do this to me…You have to breathe now. _Breathe_.”  
  
He lets out a choked sob as he hears Tony take in a shuddering breath. Jaime comes thundering back down the stairs, oxygen tank in hand. Gibbs grabs it from him with shaky hands and puts the mask over Tony’s mouth, holding him steady when he tries to struggle away from it.  
  
“Sshh…stop fighting it you idiot,” Gibbs growls, effect ruined when his voice breaks a little at the end.  
  
Tony becomes a little more coherent then, taking deeper breaths.  
  
“What…?”  
  
“You went for a run, you fucking…stupid goddamn _idiot_ ,” Gibbs bites out through gritted teeth, “You just got over having _pneumonia_! You can’t keep pushing your lungs like that!”  
  
Jaime starts crying and Tony reaches out, pulling him close. Gibbs rubs their son’s back, finally pressing his forehead to Jaime’s shoulder blade and letting out a shaky breath, body trembling. When he looks up at Tony, Gibbs’ cheeks are wet and he swipes at them angrily until Tony hauls him closer again.  
  
“I’m sorry,” he wheezes, “Guys, I promise…I promise I’ll be more careful.”  
  
“There will be no next time, Tony,” Gibbs breathes out, “You can’t…I can’t…”  
  
 _I can’t lose you._  
  
Tony nods and squeezes them both with all the strength he has.  
  
“Ok, so…you wanna call me in, Gibbs?”  
  
Gibbs pulls away and frowns, “What?”  
  
“Call me in…to work. You’re gonna take me to the doctor.”  
  
Gibbs sighs and nods, stroking Tony’s arm, “Yeah…Jaime…Jaime come on, you have school.”  
  
“No way!” Jaime protests, pulling back and scrubbing his own red face, “Not a chance!”  
  
“Jaime…” Tony croaks.  
  
“You almost died!” Jaime screams at him, “You almost freaking died and there’s no way I’m going to school until I’m damn sure you’re ok!”  
  
They stare at him for a moment and Tony finally smiles and shakes his head, struggling to sit up with Gibbs’ help.  
  
“Well, he definitely got his stubbornness from you, Gibbs.”  
  
“You’re both idiots,” Jaime sulks, “Why did we have an oxygen tank? And an epi pen? There’s something you’re not telling me.”  
  
Gibbs and Tony lock eyes and Tony nods.  
  
“Your Dad had the plague once. Before you were born.”  
  
“…the _plague_? Like…wiped out half of Europe, _that_ plague?”  
  
“Yeah, kiddo.”  
  
Jaime sits back in shock for a moment before a sudden rage overcomes him and he reaches out and head slaps them both hard.  
  
“Hey!” Gibbs yelps.  
  
“Ow!” Tony grumbles.  
  
“You’re both _idiots_ ,” Jaime roars, “What if you hadn’t been home, Papa?”  
  
He punctuates his question with a sharp shove to Gibbs’ shoulder.  
  
“Dad would have died because I didn’t know what to do, that’s what!” he continues yelling before either of them can answer, “You should have told me about this a long time ago in case of something like _this_!”  
  
They sit in silence until Jaime hugs Tony again, careful of the oxygen tank.  
  
“I know your job is dangerous and you try to protect me from stuff but you can’t protect me from _everything_.”  
  
With a heavy sigh Gibbs grabs Jaime by the collar of his shirt and hauls him close, hugging him hard.  
  
“Go get cleaned up and we’ll take Dad to the hospital, ok? I’ll call you both out.”  
  
“Ok,” Jaime says sullenly.  
  
“And I’ll tell you where the epi pens and the inhalers are and how to use them later when we get home.”  
  
Jaime straightens a little and nods, “Ok.”  
  
Gibbs sighs again and helps Tony to his feet, settling him on the couch.  
  
“Phone?”  
  
Tony shifts, reaching into his back pocket. The case is cracked from him landing on it but the mobile still works.  
  
“Reboot?” Gibbs smirks, smile not quite reaching his eyes.  
  
“I think I’ve got a spare somewhere. We’ll worry about it later.”  
  
“McGee still number three?”  
  
“Yeah.”  
  
Gibbs hits the speed dial and waits patiently.  
  


_“McGee.”_

  
  
“Hey, Tim.”  
  


_“…Gibbs? Is everything ok?”_

  
  
“Yeah. Tony had an asthma attack, I’m taking him to see the doctor. Tell Vance to kiss my ass if he has a problem with it.”  
  


_“How bad was it?”_

  
  
“Bad enough to take him to the doctor.”  
  
McGee is silent on the other end for a moment and then he mumbles something about Tony being an idiot.  
  


_“Alright, I’ll take care of it, Boss. Smack him for me, ok?”_

  
  
“Jaime already smacked us both around. Shame you missed it.”  
  


_“Is **he** ok?”_

  
  
“He’ll be fine. Thanks, Tim.”  
  


_“No prob…”_

  
  
Gibbs ends the call, ignoring Tony’s smirk over his bad phone etiquette and then grabs his own phone to call Jaime’s school. By the time he’s done Jaime is hovering over them both, fidgeting but clean and presentable.  
  
“Alright, let’s go…” Gibbs frowns.  
  
“Am I in trouble for hitting you and cursing?” Jaime blurts out.  
  
“No,” Tony says firmly, “Extreme circumstances. We’ll let it slide this time.”  
  
Gibbs flops back on the couch, sagging into Tony. He wraps his arm around Tony’s shoulders, shuts his eyes and presses his forehead to Tony’s temple.  
  
“Adrenaline wear off?”  
  
Gibbs nods, eyes still closed.  
  
Tony smiles apologetically, “I love you guys.”  
  
“I think you should ground him or something,” Jaime grumbles, nudging Gibbs with his foot.  
  
“You think up an appropriate punishment and I’ll dole it out,” Gibbs chuckles.  
  
“Ok, this is not a democracy, it’s a benevolent dictatorship,” Tony grouses, “Now let’s get going.”  
  
“Make him go without TV for like a week,” Jaime grins, “I bet he cracks.”  
  
“Oh, if I suffer you will suffer with me,” Tony promises, “We’ll play _board games_.”  
  
“…that actually sounds like fun,” Gibbs shrugs, shuffling to his feet and hauling Tony up with him.  
  
Jaime and Tony look at each other and Tony points a finger at his son, glaring. Jaime holds up his hands in surrender, eyes wide.  
  
“And if you’re both good at the hospital,” Gibbs says over his shoulder, shrugging on his jacket, “I’ll even let you pick which game.”


	42. Loss

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

When Ducky’s mother had died Gibbs had camped out at his house for a week and the week after that he’d made Ducky come stay with them.  
  
For a long while after that Ducky spends a lot of time with them and though he wishes it was under different circumstances Tony really can’t argue. He’s always liked Ducky, his stories and his kindness and the gruff way he lectures Gibbs when he thinks the other man needs it.  
  
It’s always good knowing you have friends.  
  
\--  
  
When Jack died Jaime cried so hard that Tony thought if his heart wasn’t already broken it would shatter.  
  
Gibbs seemed weirdly at peace with it.  
  
“Got to know him at the end,” he told Tony at the service, “No regrets.”  
  
“I’m gonna miss him,” Tony said thickly.  
  
“Me too,” Gibbs had nodded, “Glad I have a reason to.”  
  
\--  
  
Jaime’s sitting at the kitchen table reading something but he immediately shoves it in his pocket when Gibbs clears his throat from the doorway.  
  
“What is it?” Gibbs demands.  
  
With a faint grimace, Jaime stands, scratching at his neck in a gesture borrowed from Tony and looking annoyed, an expression borrowed from Gibbs.  
  
“Spill, kiddo.”  
  
Jaime holds out the pamphlet and Gibbs’ fond smirk immediately fades when he sees the US Marine Corps logo. His mouth goes dry and he looks up at Jaime with wide eyes.  
  
“Graduation is coming up and um…I was thinking about joining,” Jaime says, gesturing at the pamphlet.  
  
“Don’t.”  
  
“What?” Jaime frowns, “But you…”  
  
“I know,” Gibbs nods, “I know and I’m proud of my time in the service, this isn’t about that…”  
  
“Papa?”  
  
A pang of old hurt and a newer fear make Gibbs reach out and haul Jaime close, hugging him tight. Jaime hugs him back, looking worried and confused.  
  
“Papa, what is it?”  
  
Gibbs pulls away a little, swiping at his eyes and gripping Jaime’s arm.  
  
“You remember Dad telling you about Kelly?”  
  
“Your um…your daughter. Yeah.”  
  
“She died when she was seven. Her and my first wife, Shannon…Shannon witnessed a crime and they were both killed because of it while I was serving in Desert Storm. I didn’t…” Gibbs wipes at his eyes again, “It almost killed me. It took me almost twenty years…it took your dad and you…Without you two I’d still be living alone in this house if I was even alive at all. I can’t…”  
  
Jaime hugs him, eyes wide and watery as he worries his lower lip.  
  
“Papa…”  
  
“I can’t lose you,” Gibbs chokes out on a sobbing breath, “I can’t bury another child.”  
  
“It’s ok…it’s ok, Papa, I won’t…I won’t do it…”  
  
Gibbs squeezes him a little tighter and Jaime goes quiet, patting his father’s back as he listens to him trying not to cry.  
  
His Papa is the strongest man he’s ever met. He sees the way all of his parent’s friends look at his Papa with admiration and respect. He sees the way his Dad does it too. Papa is their rock, the solid ground in the storm. He never falters, never wavers, and always does the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.  
  
“I’ll uh…become an accountant or something. That’s pretty safe, right?”  
  
Gibbs huffs out a laugh and sniffles, pulling away.  
  
“Sorry…you didn’t need your old man using you as a human tissue.”  
  
Jaime looks down at the wet spot on his shoulder and shrugs.  
  
“It’s ok,” he says thickly, “I just…um…I love you, Papa.”  
  
“Love you too,” Gibbs nods, “I’m not…you have a life to live. I know…you’re gonna wanna do things and go places. Life’s dangerous, even without putting yourself in the middle of a war zone. I just don’t want you risking your life if you don’t have to.”  
  
“Ok.”  
  
“…shit,” Gibbs winces, “I think this makes me a hypocrite.”  
  
“I think we’re all allowed to do that once in a while, Papa.”  
  
Tony walks in but stops immediately when he sees their faces, looking back and forth between them with narrowed eyes. He sets his armload of groceries on the kitchen table and puts his hands on his hips.  
  
“What is it?”  
  
“I’m not joining the Marines…or any other military organization…or law enforcement,” Jaime winces, “Crap, I’m going to have to get a brainy job.”  
  
Tony looks to Gibbs rather than Jaime, caressing the other man’s cheek.  
  
“Well, you could go into something more like your Papa’s line of work.”  
  
Jaime frowns, “Working part time at a shelter?”  
  
“They always need Social Workers. Government jobs…low pay, high stress but hey…you’re serving your country,” Tony’s mouth quirks into a grin.  
  
“I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it some more I guess.”  
  
“That or you could be a cowboy like you wanted to when you were little.”  
  
“I forgot about that,” Jaime laughs, “Grandpa Jack gave me that stuff, right?”  
  
“Yeah,” Gibbs nods.  
  
“I miss him,” Jaime sighs.  
  
“We all do, kiddo,” Gibbs reaches out, gripping Jaime’s shoulder, “But he loved you a lot.”  
  
“I know.”  
  
“You wanna get dinner started, kiddo?”  
  
“Sure, you guys go ahead and be gross, I can tell you want to.”  
  
Tony chuckles and ruffles Jaime’s hair, making his son duck away with an annoyed smile.  
  
They move off into the living room, sitting heavily on the couch.  
  
“You ok?”  
  
“Kind of wish I could believe he was invincible.”  
  
“I know,” Tony sighs, taking Gibbs’ hand in his own.  
  
“I’m ok.”  
  
“I know,” Tony nods, lacing their fingers together, “you always are.”  
  
Gibbs squints one eye and then leans up against Tony, laying his head on the other man’s shoulder.  
  
“Christ, we’re getting old.”  
  
Tony tilts Gibbs’ chin up and kisses him soundly.  
  
“Since I have to do it anyway I’m glad it’s with you.”  
  
Gibbs looks up at him with a small smile, seeming slightly overwhelmed before tucking back into Tony’s side. He rubs the back of Tony’s hand, sprinkled with scars and spots, squeezing their intertwined fingers with his other hand as he breathes in his husband’s smell.  
  
He kisses Tony’s shoulder and Tony kisses the top of his head and they sit quietly, thankful for the life they’ve managed to build together.  
  
If there’s one thing neither of them has minded losing it’s the loneliness they once separately shared.


	43. Happy Endings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Some people get to blaze paths through life. They make a plan and that's what they make happen...but most of us? We just get trapped on the waysides and maybe we get to make a new plan and a new path," he pauses as Tony looks at him and then continues on, "But sometimes getting stuck on the wayside is the best thing that ever happens to us."

The wind is warm, the skies clear and brilliantly blue as the boat glides effortlessly through the water. Tony tightens the sail and Gibbs steers her straight and true.  
  
They’ve been sailing the coast for six weeks, making berth whenever they needed to for supplies and getting caught in one quick storm that had even Gibbs green around the gills.  
  
But the Kelly held fast and saw them through.  
  
Tony’s peppered hair is tousled, his cheeks are a little pink and Gibbs smiles at him softly which makes Tony smile back.  
  
There’s no shyness anymore, no doubt, no demons. They sleep soundly – in the belly of the boat, in whatever hotel or motel room they find when they make port – wrapped in each other’s arms.  
  
Night comes on fast and they follow the lighthouse into the marina, enjoying the stars before the light pollution along the coast blots them out.  
  
“Seeing the Milky Way always makes me crave chocolate,” Tony grins.   
  
Gibbs chuckles, “Always makes me feel small.”  
  
“Well, yeah,” Tony shrugs, “That too.”  
  
In a tiny little bed and breakfast, the boat safely anchored at the docks, Tony presses up behind Gibbs and pulls him close, kissing his ear.  
  
“Hi, handsome,” he rumbles.  
  
“Hi,” Gibbs says, dropping his head back, seeking a kiss.  
  
Tony obliges him, soft and open mouthed, sliding a hand up Gibbs’ chest and throat, thumb caressing Gibbs’ jaw line as he finally adds his tongue almost as an afterthought.  
  
They sprawl out on the bed, stripping down and touching each other tenderly as the TV plays softly in the background. The breeze off the ocean rustles the curtains and makes Tony shiver with a small grin, his body mostly sheltering Gibbs’. They lazily stroke each other, kissing languorously and finding all their favourite spots. Tony likes the patch of skin just below Gibbs’ ear and the soft flesh over Gibbs’ heart. Gibbs likes junctures – ear and jaw, neck and shoulder, thigh and groin. They taste and suck, mouths roaming until their hands finally speed up and they shake against one another as they cum, breath beating staccato rhythms against the other’s skin.  
  
“Love you,” Gibbs smiles as Tony cleans them up with a t-shirt.  
  
“Love you too,” Tony grins, pulling the covers over them.  
  
In the morning they call Jaime who assures them that their grandchild is fine, as is Beyonce who is pregnant again. They send off postcards, checking down the list – Ducky enjoys them the most so they send him the most, even though he has to use a magnifying glass to read them.  
  
They explore the small port town, so similar and yet unique from all the others they’ve been to since they began their full retirement. They eat at small, out of the way restaurants, holding hands and taking in the sights until the sea calls them out again, drawing them further on.  
  
And Gibbs will get an eyepatch from a tourist shop in the Florida Keys, crooking his finger into a hook and letting one side of his mouth droop as he says “aarr” completely deadpan, making Tony double over laughing.  
  
And Tony will drag them to a little voodoo shop in Louisiana to buy things for Abby that she couldn’t conceivably get in DC, keeping a small charm that he hangs over their bed that Gibbs smirks at until – some months later – Abby tells him it’s for protection and long life, not virility like he’d assumed.  
  
And Gibbs will buy Tony a bag of bite-sized Milky Ways for every time he looks at the real Milky Way and craves chocolate.  
  
And Tony will comb beaches for drift wood so that Gibbs will have something to carve and shape.  
  
And Gibbs will find interesting little theatres to take Tony to, running his thumb over Tony’s knuckles in the dim light, occasionally smiling when he feels the smooth gold band encircling Tony’s ring finger.  
  
And they’ll both revel in every moment with the man they love, grateful for having fallen along the wayside.


End file.
